138. Spirit

[iolaus_dw]

Do you see that village over there? It looks the same as any other, doesn't it? The houses made of wood and clay, maybe a bit of straw thrown in; the stable; a forge; a bit of a market place where farmers and tradesmen can sell their wares. There's probably a well in what serves as the main square; more of a meeting place than a watering hole. It's where all the good gossip can be had. Oh yeah, and there's a tavern. No village worth its salt would be without one.

Now look at the people. Look hard. What do you see? Nothing special? Well, let me tell you what I see. I see men and women and children struggling to survive. Some of them have a harder time of it than others but nothing is handed to them. Nothing is free. Everything they own, every piece of bread on their tables to the clothes on their backs, is earned by hard and honest work. Tear down their homes and they'll only rebuild. Burn their crops and they'll resow their fields. Take their lives and others will rise in their place.

If anyone asks you to define the Spirit of Man, don't look at the warriors or the priests or the nobles. Look at these simple people, leading their day to day lives in a dangerous world. Surviving whatever nature or the gods throw their way.

Comments

[potadeiabard.livejournal.com]

That's a perfect description of every village Xena and I have ever been in. We may have defeated the warlords, but if it weren't for the villagers help it would have been much, much harder. This makes me homesick for Potadeia. *smiles*

[iolaus-lj.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I mean. That's what 'spirit' is all about. It's those villagers, leading their every day lives inspite of the danger and the hardship.

And yeah, it kind of makes me homesick for Thebes, too.

[potadeiabard.livejournal.com]

It's funny, I was so much in a hurry to get out of Potadeia because I never fit in. I never thought I would miss it as much as I do. Every village I go into reminds me of home.