New Aphorism

"It is better to die on your feet than to live on your knees." -Euripides 

     You should go through life taking chances and standing up for what you believe in. You should be a fighter. You may be disliked or persecuted when you live this way, but it is better than living in someone else's shadow and never taking up life's opportunities. 
     That is how I interpret this quote, and I believe it has a lot to do with Joseph Campbell's theory of the hero's journey. Campbell said that the hero goes through trial and error, hardships, and even a resurrection. He believes a child must "die", leaving all of their dependency and immaturity behind them, and are later "reborn" as an independent adult. The quote above states just that. This quotes describes the hero. Someone who dies on their feet has gone through challenges, has been judged, has been resurrected, and is still fighting. They are still going through their journey. One who has lived on their knees has avoided the hardships. They haven't been resurrected. They're missing out on the opportunity of the hero's adventure! 
     Personally, I don't want to live on my knees. I want to die on my feet, like so many heroes before me. I'm not saying that I am a hero, or that I'll become one, but I'll try my best to embark on a similar journey. I think Joseph Campbell would encourage me to do so. 
   

A New Day (Aphorism)

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts. "
-Eleanor Roosevelt 

     Eleanor Roosevelt was right. No, Eleanor Roosevelt is right. When I have horrible days, or I go to bed feeling like everything has gone wrong, I will wake up the next morning with a clear head and high hopes for a better day. 
     When you get into a chain of pessimistic thoughts it is often hard to pull yourself out of that deflated state. There are days when I feel like life is a living hell, but the truth is all I usually need is a bit of sleep to make that hell feel closer to heaven. Problems, whether social or those associated with schoolwork, that were tormenting me the day before feel so trivial after a good night's sleep. With a fresh outlook I can handle problems that had been too stressful the day before. With a body replenished with energy, I can "seize the day" and take on anyone and anything.