Magnanimous
1. generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness.
2. high-minded; noble.
3. proceeding from or revealing generosity or nobility of mind, character, etc.
To be honest, I had never heard of this word before Tuesday. For the first time, I was reading the chapters assigned for my ethics class. Aristotle was on the subject of the virtues and this is one that he listed, so I decided to look up the definition.
After reflecting on what the definition says, I realized that this is the life I am aiming for. It is my goal to let go of all the resentment and vindictiveness I have felt towards others. I want to be quick to forgive because this is how we can become free. A magnanimous person keeps no record of wrongs, but is peaceful within his soul, needing no affirmation from this broken world.
Aristotle writes, "The magnanimous person seems to have slow movements, and calm speech. For since he takes few things seriously, he is in no hurry, and since he counts nothing as great, he is not strident; and the attitudes he avoids are those that cause a shrill voice and hasty movements."
I will be the first to admit I take everything too seriously. I like my house to be clean, I like to have a plan, I like to get A's in all of my classes. I like to rant about all that is wrong with the world, and what everyone needs to do to fix it. I complain about going to classes and doing homework, and the fact that everything on this earth is for some reason wrapped in plastic! What I am now realizing is that every time I let one of these small problems escalate to a bigger one, I am sacrificing my inner peace.
All of these things that I obsess over, all these things I must have my way, are only roadblocks to a happy and healthy life.
Think of the way life would be different if we were free from the negative feelings that tempt us at every corner. We are bombarded with ads telling us we need upgraded phones, fancy homes, and a bikini-ready body, but the magnanimous person would not let the ideas of wealth or perfection disturb his thoughts or take precedence over what truly matters. The magnanimous man is not prone to marvel and therefore is not prone to envy.
To be magnanimous would mean to not participate in gossip or lamenting, (which I admit I am guilty of every day) but to overlook evils and focus moving forward in your own affairs.
Comparing the magnanimous life to a Christian one should be quite easy. We are taught to forgive quickly, to find our security in Christ rather than in our possessions, and to store our treasures in heaven instead of on earth. We are taught to love our neighbors, to feed the poor, not to gossip or judge.
It may seem that living this way would be passive or naive, but I see it as quite the opposite. While everyone around us is acting out of worry or fear or ambition, we are to act out of love and peace. That requires a conscious, active mindset, and would be much harder than simply reacting to how we feel in the moment.
So before I react, I'm going to ask myself if what I'm about to do will help or hurt, if it is necessary or simply impulsive, and most importantly, will bring inner conflict or inner peace?
