I was asked, What would you wish your Great Granddaughter to be guided by? As I reflected, the words of my favored poet echoed their wisdom... ‘To Thine Own Self Be True’... yes, know and live the blessings of your creation...
"To thine own self be true" is a line from act 1 scene 3 of Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. It is spoken by King Claudius’ chief minister, Polonius as part of a speech where he is giving his son, Laertes, his blessing and advice on how to behave whilst at university."
Here is the full text of Polonius’ speech:
"There, my blessing with thee.
And these few precepts in thy memory
Look thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any unproportioned thought his act.
Be thou familiar but by no means vulgar.
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,
Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel,
But do not dull thy palm with entertainment
Of each new-hatched, unfledged comrade. Beware
Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,
Bear ’t that th’ opposèd may beware of thee.
Give every man thy ear but few thy voice.
Take each man’s censure but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not expressed in fancy—rich, not gaudy,
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.
Neither a borrower nor a lender be,
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.
This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell. My blessing season this in thee."
~
And this be known as counsel of the heart...
When one deeply embraces the TRUTH of SELF, Bathes in the Blessings of BEING, Marvels at the workings of each body part, each cell in communication, Blessed by sensibilities, potentialities, holds love sacred, rejoices for grace, and the endowment of wellbeing... what another deems otherwise will not have dominance over SELF ~ a Consciousness of DIVINITY prevails.
Be this received as a blessing, as an endowment of GRACE.
A Great Grandmother in reflection,
Ever with love Dear Paige and Taron,
Mother and Father, of daughter Londyn.
~
