My Sacrifice…

OK…this is the first of the Heroic Traits I want to discuss, or rather, get you thinking about. For most people the word sacrifice has a bad connotation to it. They associate it with something bad or having to give up something they like and enjoy. That’s one of the reasons a LOT of Catholics dread Lent. :-)

So, let’s go back to our FAVORITE reference and see what Mr. Webster has to say about sacrifice.

Sacrifice - destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else; and also, something given up or lost

There isn’t a connotation at all in that definition. It’s also lacking something, at least from my point of view. So, let’s together, build a definition for sacrifice that might be this Heroic Trait a bit closer home.

Parts of the definition work. Sacrifice is definitely a surrender of something or a giving up of something. But that’s just so…BLAH! There’s no personality in this definition. That’s what it’s missing…character.

See…I believe that a sacrifice is something that is ultimately personal in nature. No one else has to know about it but you. And by it being a personal thing, then it becomes a self building action. So, in reality, sacrifice becomes a thing that, while it might be for someone else, it’s in reality, something for you.

So, if it’s something that is ultimately GOOD for you, why is it so hard and why do we not like even talking about it?

I think that part of the reason is that sacrifice involves a choice to deny yourself pleasure. Sacrifice involves the giving of a part of yourself, for the betterment of another, or yourself. You know…that’s actually a definition that I’m starting to like.

It’s easy to see why sacrifice is so hard. We ALL want what we want and once we get it, we will fight tooth and nail to keep it. Even if that something is bad for us. We’re funny that way. :-) So the process of giving up something that we like and want means going counter to our internal Ego and desires. In my life, I’ve found that my greatest enemy a lot of the times is my own EGO. See, I think that as we better ourselves and move farther along the Heroic Path, our Ego has to change and there are even parts of it that HAVE to be lost. And changing your Ego is truly one of the hardest things you will EVER do.

So, why don’t we talk about sacrifice? Oh, I’m sure you’re thinking…I have heard my parents telling me how much they sacrificed for me for years!! :-) But that’s not what I’m talking about. We don’t ever talk about what sacrificing for others and ourselves REALLY does. We all hear about the NEED to sacrifice, but very rarely do we hear about the REASON to sacrifice. So, let me give that a try here…

The reason that we should sacrifice is simply to make ourselves better. Sometimes, it’s just succeeding at the trial to build your self confidence and prove to yourself that you CAN do it. Oftentimes, it’s a great way to accomplish and see significant changes in your life. It’s a process of letting go that will result in more benefits than you might expect.

I’m sure by now you can see why this is a Heroic Trait and can probably think of the story characters that best exemplify this trait. Now the challenge comes in making this trait a part of your own life. And how do you do that, you are asking? Simple.

Start out small and let it grow. Start out with your family and close friends and ask them to help keep you on track. I’m not telling you to do something monumental the first go out. That will only frustrate you and make adopting the idea of sacrifice that much harder.

I can hear some of you out there wondering if you REALLY need this trait. :-) Of course not. You don’t NEED any of the traits. You can stumble through life like the majority of people. But if you want to be a person of Heroic quality…then this trait is a must. That’s just the way it is. Read through some of the great old legends and try to tell me I’m wrong.

So, give it up…let it go…and discover what you can REALLY have.

See you on the other side.