Sublime Rewards

One of my current reads is a book entitled The Private Adam, Becoming A Hero In A Selfish Age, by Shmuley Boteach. The author compares “classical heroism” – currently typified by people such as celebrities and successful business people, to “biblical heroism” – typified by those living with courage and dignity which inspires others.

A quote from the book (p. 33 of the hardback edition):

In the end goodness always triumphs. It triumphs because it’s real, because it’s true, because it’s authentic, because it feels good and right. But the secret of success is to combine goodness with maturity--the ability to delay gratification and search for more sublime rewards. The biblical hero ends up with the true victory. The ancient rabbis of the Talmud said, “Who is wise? One who always sees the consequences of his actions.” The biblical hero takes the long, but ultimately, shorter way.

Delay gratification? I hate that. I want what I want and I want it now. Sublime rewards? What are those and who cares anyway? Sublime sounds good, but not immediate and definitely not a sure thing. I’ll take a sure thing now over sublime, thank you very much.

But…

...this week I've felt a level of inner peace I've not had for a long time...if ever...and it feels like a sublime reward. So does the fact that my younger child -- a teenager -- actually wants to spend time with me these days. This is the same child who, more than a year after I had threatened to move out but never did, told me she wished I had moved out because life was so much better when I was gone. And unfortunately I think she was absolutely right at that time.

Waking up next to my wife and not sharing the bed with my old friends, the Consequence twins Guilt and Remorse, is a sublime reward.

Goodness and maturity. I understand the goodness. I’m working on the maturity – with a lot of help from the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Take care.

Flip