Becoming a Paragon

Rev. Kat Carroll

No, it’s not a type of bird, LOL!!

The word paragon often brings to mind someone of exceptional character—a paragon of virtue, wisdom, or integrity. We think of a person who embodies the very best qualities humanity has to offer.

Yet the history of the word tells a much richer story.

Long ago, paragon referred to a whetstone used to sharpen a blade. Later, it became associated with a dark touchstone, a stone upon which gold and silver were rubbed to test their purity. In time, the Italian paragone came to mean a comparison or an equal match, and by the sixteenth century, the word evolved into its modern meaning: a model of excellence and a standard to which others might aspire.

Isn’t that, in many ways, the story of our own lives?

Too much drama can dull, but life is meant to sharpen us. Even bad experiences teach us lessons, if we really look for the messages within them.

Our challenges, disappointments, and unexpected turns act like a whetstone against the blade, refining our thoughts, deepening our compassion, and increasing our awareness. We may not enjoy the friction, but it often becomes the very thing that helps us grow. The friction (or chaos) is the catalyst for change. And we’ve certainly been through a lot of that in our lifetime.

Life also tests us.

Like the touchstone of old, world events and personal trials reveal our true nature. They test our mettle (if you’ll pardon the pun). They ask us difficult questions:

• Will we choose fear or courage?
• Division or understanding?
• Anger or compassion?
• Discernment or blind reaction?

The pressures of life do not necessarily create our character as much as they reveal it. And it’s important to keep in mind that much of what we know and believe came from outside sources, and not all of them were right, good, or correct. This is were your inner knowing and discernment are required – and like the blade on the wet stone, it’s a skill you need to practice to refine and sharpen it.

Then comes another meaning of paragon—comparison and equal match. Human beings naturally seek those of like minds and shared values. We gather in communities, exchange ideas, challenge one another, and offer support. Iron sharpens iron, and in the company of others, we often discover new aspects of ourselves. And that’s why you follow Prepare for Change and why you may want to participate in our bimonthly Ascension Connection calls – check the events calendar to see what’s coming up and when to participate! https://prepareforchange.net/events-calendar/

Finally, the word came to represent excellence itself—not perfection, but the highest qualities to which we can aspire.

In today’s world, becoming a paragon of virtue may seem like an impossible goal. None of us is without faults or shortcomings. Yet the ideal still has value because it gives us a direction.

A sailor may never reach the North Star, but by keeping it in sight, he can navigate his course.

Likewise, we become more compassionate by practicing compassion. We become more patient by choosing patience. We become more loving by acting with love, even when it is difficult.

The qualities we contemplate, practice, and nurture eventually become part of who we are.

We are all becoming paragons of something. The question is: what do we wish to become examples of?

What virtues do we want to embody so fully that they shine through our words, our actions, and the way we live our lives?

What qualities do we hope others will remember when they think of us, even long after we’re gone?

In these extraordinary times, perhaps the invitation is not to become perfect, but to become more intentional in who we are becoming. Perhaps it’s to become more involved in life, community, and building that new direction together.

For the stone does not create the blade; it reveals its edge.

The fire does not create the gold; it reveals its purity.

And perhaps life’s many challenges are not here to break us, but to help reveal the very best within us.

So, what do you want to become a paragon of?

Set your course according to your highest ideals, but don’t become so focused on the destination that you forget to marvel at the journey. Life itself is the great adventure. Along the way, we are sharpened, tested, refined, and—if we are fortunate—made a little wiser, a little kinder, and a little more fully ourselves.

These are my thoughts, and if you enjoyed them, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments at the very bottom (keep scrolling).
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