Be Not Afraid of Life
This week’s Saturday meditation comes from the new book Be Not Afraid of Life: In the Words of Williams James, edited by John Kaag and Jonathan Van. Belle. William James (1842—1910) was an American philosopher and is considered the founder of pragmatism and empirical psychology in the United States.
Kaag and Van Belle write,
On a steamy evening in 1895, James addressed an audience of young men and women at Holden Chapel, tucked away in a corner of Harvard Yard. At the end of his lecture on the meaning of life, he raised his voice: ‘Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.’
“Be not afraid of life” means be not afraid of risk, failure, or even death in your pursuits. Life is hard, so it calls for “hardihoods,” even virtues of a martial intensity. James envisions the gain of “toughness without callousness.”
Contemplation Questions (Pick one or create your own!):
What would “toughness without callousness” look like in daily life?
How might you advise a friend to “Be not afraid of life”?
This Week’s Meditations…
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Thank you for reading this week; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well,
P.S. Feel free to comment, ask questions, or make suggestions!