3 Insights

“Everything in life should be done with reflection.” — John Adams

“By three methods we may learn wisdom… First, by reflection, which is noblest. Second, by imitation, which is easiest. Third, by experience, which is the bitterest.” — Confucius

“The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.” — Thomas Paine

What I Learned this Week

Halloween’s 🎃 origins reportedly date back 2000 years or more. The ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) took place in what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. The Celts celebrated their new year on November 1 to mark the end of summer and the harvest as well as the beginning of the dark, cold winter.

The Strenuous Life is Learned

The winters were a hard time of year that was often associated with human death. Romanticizing winter is something very new in the history of humankind; it was during the Renaissance, particularly in the 15th century and beyond, that winter became a more prominent subject in art.

Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the world of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated their festival to scare away the ghosts of the dead which they believed had returned to earth.

The holiday has evolved considerably over the last 2000 years. Nowadays, according to the National Retail Federation (for what it’s worth), Americans spend $700 million a year on costumes for their pets.

The Reflection of Adventure

“If we miss contentment, then that is often our own fault; and the fault not of our bodies but of our souls.” — Plutarch

IT CAN BE easy to miss. But as you grow older, the speed with which life passes you by increases. You learn quickly how to improve your focus. You learn what’s critical and what matters.

At the age of 39 years old, Theodore Roosevelt charged Kettle Hill on horseback. Attacking the high ground, the Americans were at a disadvantage. It is said that the Spanish American War in Cuba was the start of the American empire and the downfall of the Spanish empire. Roosevelt described The Battle of San Juan Heights as “the greatest day of my life.” On July 1, 1898, he led a series of charges up Kettle Hill while his Regiment known as the Rough Riders followed on foot.

Under heavy gunfire, the Americans suffered great losses.

“In the attack on the San Juan hills our forces numbered about 6,600.* There were about 4,500 Spaniards against us. Our total loss in killed and wounded was 1,071. Of the cavalry division there were, all told, some 2,300 officers and men, of whom 375 were killed and wounded. In the division over a fourth of the officers were killed or wounded, their loss being relatively half as great again as that of the enlisted men—which was as it should be. was as it should be. I think we suffered more heavily than the Spaniards did in killed and wounded (though we also captured some scores of prisoners).” — Theodore Roosevelt

Almost 100 years later, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the only US president to receive the award. The award citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt distinguished himself by acts of bravery on 1 July 1898, near Santiago de Cuba, Republic of Cuba, while leading a daring charge up San Juan Hill. Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, in total disregard for his personal safety, and accompanied by only four or five men, led a desperate and gallant charge up San Juan Hill, encouraging his troops to continue the assault through withering enemy fire over open countryside. Facing the enemy’s heavy fire, he displayed extraordinary bravery throughout the charge, and was the first to reach the enemy trenches, where he quickly killed one of the enemy with his pistol, allowing his men to continue the assault. His leadership and valor turned the tide in the battle for San Juan Hill. Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

Question to Reflect on

Q: How can I find the the right balance between action and reflection?

Hint: Herodotus wrote about this, encouraging us to “fear and reflect on everything that can happen to us yet be brave and firm in the moment of action.”

The Real Con 101