So We Can Fill Our Lives With the Best!

Written by Claudia Orgill

In his book, "I Dare You!" William H. Danforth said:

"Dare to live in the presence of the best. Try for one week to live a distinguished life, surrounding yourself with the very best the world has to offer. Read an excellent poem. Begin the biography of a distinguished man. Study a painting by an Old Master. Hear the best Victrola record. Listen to a classical radio program or a symphony. See an uplifting play or movie. Hear a stirring speaker. Meet an inspiring personality. See a sunrise and a sunset.

Strive to crowd out of your life unworthy thoughts, unworthy acts, unworthy contacts. Just see what will happen if, for a solid week, you fill your life with only the best!-the very best in literature, the very best in art, the very best in nature. If only we would surround ourselves with the world's excellence, we would live like Kings!"

What an enlivening way to live! And the wonderful thing is, that there's enough beauty to be found within an unending amount of "excellence" in any subject, be it math, science, human biology, philosophy, english, music, nature, or history, to fill our lives (and beyond) with learning.

To surround ourselves with the beauteous things of this world - what a wonderful concept! To me, that truly brings unequivocal clarity, living in the world but not being of the world! And it brings me great satisfaction knowing that I am able to share and experience such joy and love of learning with my children.