Daily Compass

“My father told me once that the most important thing every [person] should know is what [they] would die for.”
― Tana French

What would you be willing to die for?

Many of the world’s religious traditions involve giving offerings to gods or ancestors, sharing physical goods with beings who have no physical form. If gods and ancestors cannot partake of what is physically given, perhaps they are sustained by the act of sharing in and of itself.

When have you been moved by someone’s choice to be generous with you, whether or not you needed what they were offering?

There is a law of the seas that the captain must be ready to go down with the ship, to sacrifice their own safety and even their own life for the sake of the ship and its crew. It’s a noble sentiment, but sometimes our sense of duty leads us to stick with failing a relationship or endeavor far past what good sense would dictate.

What ship has taken you down?

Some people embrace spiritual traditions that involve giving up practically everything in the way of worldly goods, living in the most austere manner on what others are willing to give. They understand sacrificing physical comforts as a route to spiritual abundance.

When has doing without proved to be a spiritual gift?

“The ultimate test of man’s conscience may be his willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”
― Gaylord Nelson

What do you sacrifice for the sake of future generations?