Chivalry Comes from WIthin

Chivalry Comes from WIthin

Finding your moral center and bringing into the forefront of your life is a liberating experience.
Why liberating?
First of all, it not only affirms your values as a human being, it provides those values by completing who you are.
Second, having a vibrant moral center results in a measure of autonomy that is itself liberating. Moral law that comes from within, from personal choice and commitment, is an integral part of overall fulfillment. Without it, something vital is missing.
Because the ideals of chivalry come from inside, our personal response to it differs significantly from moral directives that are imposed by someone else. We have ownership of our own beliefs, which then shapes our adherence to them, alleviating moral conflict. Such maturity remains otherwise unachieved.
Consider the natural attraction men feel toward chivalry. Now, contrast it with their general feelings toward law. They mny respect and value law, but they are not instinctively drawn to it or find their inspiration there. That's because chivalry is not an imposed rule. It is an expression of who we are as complete men. It is our call to authenticity, our blueprint to having purpose and meaning in our lives.
In many ways, chivalry is a natural extension of the Golden Rule. It thrives not on regulations but on moral impulses, derived from an intuitive perception of right and wrong that encourages us to act civilized. It is something we feel rather than learn. Something that validates our continued existence. It is like a memory from forgotten days that whispers in a tone like your own voice.
Listen to it.
Chivalry is attached to conscience. Once developed, the two are inseparable. Chivalry provides moral mandates that are not a burden, but the right way to live and thrive and be a blessing to all around us.
In the end, chivalry, for all its beauty and benefits, is nothing special. While it is each person's treasure, it deserves no credit or recognition. Does a bird need adulation because it flies? Is water to be praised for being wet?
The completeness of chivalry is our natural state as complete human beings, and brings its own reward of abundant life.