"One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.”― Leonardo da Vinci
With it being Easter Sunday I thought it only appropriate to reference da Vinci. I wonder if this musing crossed his mind as he toiled and struggled to paint his masterpiece “The Last Supper” in 1492. A philosophical concept he found to be true during the Renaissance, and one that remains over 500 years later. When you stop and think about it there are so many things that happen to us that are beyond our control, but what is not is how we respond. Unfortunately more often than not those responses can be quite damaging to ourselves and those around us.
Leonardo da Vinci’s famous mural The Last Supper circa 1497
Wrapping our minds around that simple realization is the first step to becoming immensely better human beings. Human beings that are not victims of circumstance or bad decision, but rather human beings that think, analyze, and react accordingly-with confidence and conviction absent of fear, insecurity, or blinding emotion. Of course (as is often the case) saying is most certainly easier than DOING; and it is noble work that we put in over the course of a lifetime. But once we embrace that simple tenant, the change that occurs in our lives is nothing short of revolutionary.
We all have our own personal demons to wrestle with in this life-for me it was the loss of my father at 18 to Parkinson’s along with a sister to substance abuse. Thankfully I was able to channel much of that pain into physical endeavors such as competitive boxing and strength training, along with artistic pursuits. But like many who’ve suffered significant hardship and loss, I’d often find myself looking to numb the pain in a much more destructive way. Throughout much of my adult life I was at war between these two diametrically opposed ways of life until the day when I came across an old bible verse that resonated. Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other”. We can choose to go to the package store after a hard day of work, or go for a meditative hike. And trust me, I write this as someone who would’ve been first in line at that former... But what took me over 13 years to realize I hope the reader of this realizes far sooner; in the final analysis, that type of reaction to pain or hardship only serves to create more hardship…
Da Vinci’s conception of the “perfect man” The Vitruvian Man circa 1490 Milan, Italy
It has been my experience that while physical strength is important, true strength lies not on the outside but within. In refusing to let life’s many pains and pitfalls cripple and subdue us, but rather endure and grow stronger from them-in spite of them-that is how true strength is built. In this way it radiates from within and manifests itself in both the physical and mental, and in our relationships with those around us-building rather than breaking. I’m usually not the type to share much and have that old school suffer in silence mentality, but I’ve always found writing to be cathartic for me. It is my hope that in sharing some of my experiences and approaches with regards to loss and addiction that another going through similar trials can be helped and motivated to seek a better life for themselves.
~Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, known as Leonardo da Vinci, was an Italian polymath of the Renaissance whose areas of interest included science and invention, drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, music, mathematics, engineering, literature, anatomy, geology, astronomy, botany, paleontology, and cartography.
