Brian Johnson records a short reflective piece during a two-hour layover at Orlando airport. He briefly mentions prior events from his trip (a Loyola University ROTC leadership panel and a tour of the USS George H.W. Bush), quotes Confucius, and uses observations of people in the terminal to prompt inward reflection: celebrating virtues seen in others, checking one’s own anger, recommitting to discipline and compassion, and aiming to help more people flourish by 2051. The piece closes with encouragement to practice philosophy and curiosity in daily life.
Chapters
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Heroic plus one. We're done with the Arete plus one degree series, the micro chapters from my book. Did you get a copy yet? If so, I hope you love it. If not, I hope you do love it when and if you decide to get it. We're in a ton of libraries too, if money's been the obstacle. So check it out. Literally there. But we're back to the daily heroic ones. Here we go. I'm typing this in the southwest terminal of the airport in Orlando, Florida. I'm in the middle of a two hour layover on my trip back home from the East Coast. Yesterday. I had a great full day. It started with a Loyola University ROTC leadership panel I was on with Admiral Mike Menozer and Brittany Loney and it ended with a tour of the USS George H.W. bush. Now I've been walking back and forth in the terminal with my 10,000 steps a day target in sight. As I was walking, I thought of Confucius. Then I thought of Mark Twain and Krishnamurti. First, Confucius and I went on a little walk together. Now, way back in the day, roughly 2500 years ago, Confucius told us, and I quote, even when walking in a party of no more than three, I can always be certain of learning from those I am with and in the presence of a good man. Think all the time how you may learn to equal him in the presence of a bad man. Turn your gaze within. Yep, that's what I was thinking about as I appreciated the diversity of humanity on display in that airport terminal. I saw a dad playing with his son and smiled as I imagined remembering to playfully celebrate my amazing kids. Then I saw an enraged woman and reminded myself to check my own anger and take a deep breath and when I feel triggered by things that just aren't that important. Then I saw some super fit athletes and celebrated their commitment to excellence as I recommitted to showing up as a disciplined athlete. Then I saw a tragically obese man and sent compassion while recommitting to helping create a world in which 51% of humanity is flourishing by the year 2051. As I walked back and forth, I went back and forth admiring qualities I saw in others that I want to cultivate more of in myself, then noticing less than admirable qualities that I want to continue to uproot within myself. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. That's our plus one. Perhaps you can spend some time with Confucius today in the presence of a good person, let us send them celebratory love. As we think about how we can learn to equal them in the presence of a less than great human, let us send them compassion as we embrace our own imperfections and recommit to living in integrity with our highest values so we can make a difference in the world. Here's to shining the flashlight of curiosity on what's working and what needs work as we practice our philosophy and give the world all we've got today.
