The Posture of Your Heart
By Dr. Synesio Lyra, Jr.
Society places far too much attention on appearances. That’s why the cosmetic and clothing industries have become exceedingly lucrative. Even deceased persons have to appear in their coffins as if they were just having a momentary nap, in full regalia, and with make-up, as if going to a formal party, or any other major event.
Through the ages there have been many people who prefer to put much emphasis on externalities. Theirs has been a style of doing instead of being, of appearances instead of reality, because their hearts have not been in tune with enduring values!
While it is true that it is reasonable to evaluate some people by the quality of some tangible fruits they might exhibit, ultimately what truly counts is in the posture of their heart in rendering a service, or fulfilling an obligation.
Is your heart truly the real motivator of your actions, and the factor that initiates and controls all your doings? Remember that it is from the heart that the issues of life flow. Generally, what is heartless tends to have limited impact, if any at all!
Thus, may the posture of your heart supersede whatever you may manifest outwardly, as impressive as it might at first appear, and may what you show on the outside be a genuine, positive reflection of your heart’s response to a variety of situations you face.
Once that is the case, and you are sure of it, before finalizing a decision, any decision, consult your heart for a second opinion – hopefully the right opinion! Keep in mind also that the human heart is also viewed as “deceitful” and, thus, it cannot be fully trusted at all times.
Yet, I am convinced by a truth enunciated by the great French thinker of the 17th century, Blaise Pascal, to the effect that “the heart has reasons that reason does not know.” So many sacrificial deeds toward fellow humans sometimes exceed reason, though they still remain the right thing to do, and often the only one worth attempting.
More than fifty years ago, when I first got into graduate school, a classmate of mine who had come from India, often greeted me with the question: “How is your soul?” This last word can be easily substituted by the term “heart.” In other words, “How is your heart?” A reasonable question for one to raise, and one worthy of a sincere reply!
We may never hear others confront us with that question, but we can, ourselves, study and recognize the posture of our own heart towards those we interact with, as well and to the things which demand our attention. It’s a practice worth being developed and followed, if in full sincerity!
