“My son, shed tears for the dead; raise a lament for your grievous loss. Shroud his body with proper ceremony, and do not neglect his burial. With bitter weeping and passionate lament make your mourning worthy of him. Mourn for a few days as propriety demands, and then take comfort for your grief. For grief may lead to death, and a sorrowful heart saps the strength. When a man is taken away, suffering is over, but to live on in poverty goes against the grain. Do not abandon yourself to grief; put it from you and think of your own end. Never forget! there is no return; you cannot help him and can only injure yourself. Remember that his fate will also be yours: ‘Mine today and yours tomorrow.’ When the dead is at rest, let his memory rest too; take comfort as soon as he has breathed his last.”
Thank you man! Moby Dick is amazing. I have listened to it on audio a few times (the recordings by Stewart Wills on librevox are incredible) and have been deeply moved by it. I intend to write some stuff on it at some point, but it is almost too large to tackle in my mind.
Agreed, being that type of man to others is something that I believe God has impressed on me lately. It is the type of piety that noone else sees or will reward, so it is often the easiest to neglect. Got a long way to grow there myself.
I actually had a hard time finding art that expressed the ideas and themes of this post, and Dore's work for Rime of the Ancient Mariner is what I eventually settled on, even though the mariner there is not alone in the rowboat: he is not even the one rowing there. any pieces that come to your mind?
Oh, I can imagine listening to Moby Dick must great. I've always just naturally gravitated to the book as reading is usually my first preference. But I will have to try that next time I feel like revisiting the story again.
And yes, that kind of piety is what I really think more men of our generation need to reconnect with somehow; certainly more than the other stuff that seems to capture attention these days.
I'm definitely a long way from being the man I hope to be too. But I take heart from the ideas of how whatever God plants in us, will always grow eventually. So all we can do is cultivate our own soil as best as we can - and then leave the rest in His hands.
Must admit, I actually really enjoyed the choice of Dore's etching for this. It's a stunning work.
But the other painting that first comes to my mind is Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee. (I think we discussed that one briefly on here before . .. but it's one of my personal favourites, despite currently being sadly lost / potentially destroyed!)
I am not typically an audio book guy, I only started listening to Moby Dick because I didn’t have a print copy yet a few months ago haha. Ya that’s a great painting, cool mystery behind it.
Sirach 38:16–23
“My son, shed tears for the dead; raise a lament for your grievous loss. Shroud his body with proper ceremony, and do not neglect his burial. With bitter weeping and passionate lament make your mourning worthy of him. Mourn for a few days as propriety demands, and then take comfort for your grief. For grief may lead to death, and a sorrowful heart saps the strength. When a man is taken away, suffering is over, but to live on in poverty goes against the grain. Do not abandon yourself to grief; put it from you and think of your own end. Never forget! there is no return; you cannot help him and can only injure yourself. Remember that his fate will also be yours: ‘Mine today and yours tomorrow.’ When the dead is at rest, let his memory rest too; take comfort as soon as he has breathed his last.”
Short post out today that explores some of the same topics that were explored in this one: https://open.substack.com/pub/codyilardo/p/great-joys-like-griefs-are-silent?r=1q8ur0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
My friend, this was an absolutely incredible article.
In the last month, I actually re-read Moby Dick - then the book of Jonah - then a couple of other famous "seafaring" stories from across history.
So personally, this article really could not have come at a better time. But as always, you explore such incredible depths here.
From much of my past, I relate so strongly to the feeling of loneliness and "rowing alone".
But also, nowadays - to striving to be the kind of man who offers others the space to "open their despairing heart".
Really incredible work. Thank you.
Short post out today that explores some of the same topics that were explored in this one: https://open.substack.com/pub/codyilardo/p/great-joys-like-griefs-are-silent?r=1q8ur0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you man! Moby Dick is amazing. I have listened to it on audio a few times (the recordings by Stewart Wills on librevox are incredible) and have been deeply moved by it. I intend to write some stuff on it at some point, but it is almost too large to tackle in my mind.
Agreed, being that type of man to others is something that I believe God has impressed on me lately. It is the type of piety that noone else sees or will reward, so it is often the easiest to neglect. Got a long way to grow there myself.
I actually had a hard time finding art that expressed the ideas and themes of this post, and Dore's work for Rime of the Ancient Mariner is what I eventually settled on, even though the mariner there is not alone in the rowboat: he is not even the one rowing there. any pieces that come to your mind?
Oh, I can imagine listening to Moby Dick must great. I've always just naturally gravitated to the book as reading is usually my first preference. But I will have to try that next time I feel like revisiting the story again.
And yes, that kind of piety is what I really think more men of our generation need to reconnect with somehow; certainly more than the other stuff that seems to capture attention these days.
I'm definitely a long way from being the man I hope to be too. But I take heart from the ideas of how whatever God plants in us, will always grow eventually. So all we can do is cultivate our own soil as best as we can - and then leave the rest in His hands.
Must admit, I actually really enjoyed the choice of Dore's etching for this. It's a stunning work.
But the other painting that first comes to my mind is Rembrandt's Storm on the Sea of Galilee. (I think we discussed that one briefly on here before . .. but it's one of my personal favourites, despite currently being sadly lost / potentially destroyed!)
I am not typically an audio book guy, I only started listening to Moby Dick because I didn’t have a print copy yet a few months ago haha. Ya that’s a great painting, cool mystery behind it.