The Enemy within the Gates

Narcissism is the enemy of creativity.

A true artist expresses through his art his admiration for the world.

A narcissist only wants to be admired and is therefore not admirable.

A Vain Attempt

It is our vanity that compels our tongues to make the mistake of telling other people what to do or how to live.

A Graceful Expression

There but for the grace of God, go I.

Although this statement appears to be an expression of humility, it is misleading. Taken literally, it seems to imply that God bestows His grace on some and withholds this gift from others.

What is missing is our responsibility for cooperating with grace. Without our cooperation, the gift remains dormant.

Perhaps I can restate the well-known phrase so as to clarify the sentiment underlying the words:

There but for my cooperation with the grace of God, go I.