Nobility

C.S. Lewis wrote a series of books that describe events that take place in the mythical land of Narnia. In the movie adaptation of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", one of the final scenes shows the crowning of the four child heroes. As each is crowned, Aslan, the wise and powerful lion lord, declares their title.

To the glistening eastern sea, I give you Queen Lucy the Valiant. To the great western woods, King Edmund the Just. To the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan the Gentle. And to the clear northern skies, I give you King Peter the Magnificent. May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens.

Much of Opinion Dump is devoted to pushing, nudging and cajoling people into recognizing the potential for greatness within themselves, and to strive for ever greater happiness. This time, you are invited to look at yourself in a mirror, whether literally or simply in your mind's eye, and consider what it is that is best about you. What is your defining trait that has most developed towards kingship or queenship?

Everyone has their flaws, and the children of C.S. Lewis's tale were no different. The cynic might have proclaimed the children as "King Peter the Bossy", "Queen Susan the Nag", "King Edmund the Traitor" and "Queen Lucy the Smartypants". You are not invited to play the cynic here. You are invited to offer a toast to yourself, to embrace that which is the very best within you.

Whether "King Henry the Resourceful" or "Queen Ruth the Kind", turn a blind eye to your faults for once and underscore that kingly or queenly virtue that you have always held close to yourself, that no one has ever been able to sully. Perhaps your greatness has been in the very fact that you have never given up in your struggle with some flaw. That is nobility defined.

May your wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens.