Rounding out the substance of the soul

Here begins my flurry of posts after a brief absence...

I stopped in the hall last week to copy this quote from Professor Scott Murphy's door.

"Every normal man - that is, every uncivilized or civilized human being not of defective mentality, moral sense, etc. - has, in some degree, creative insight (an unpopular statement) and an interest, desire, and ability to express it (another unpopular statement). There are many, too many, who think they have none of it, and stop with the thought or before the thought. There are a few who think (and encourage others to think) that they and they only have this insight, interest, etc...and that (as a kind of collateral security) they and they only know how to give true expression to it. But in every human soul there is a ray of celestial beauty (Plotinus admits that), and a spark of genius (nobody admits that).

If this is so, and if one of the greatest sources of strength - one of the greatest joys and deepest pleasures of men - is giving rein to it in some way, why should not everyone instead of a few, be encouraged, and feel justified in encouraging everyone including himself to make this a part of everyone's life and his life - a value that will supplement the other values and help round out the substance of the soul?"

(I think the quote was by Charles Ives, but I couldn't tell from the paper on Murphy's door.)

I LOVE this quote! Now let's all live it!

~meg