Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Small-town Virtue

I've been reading through a collection of Plutarch's "Lives." This evening I came across this good quote:

"The arts which men cultivate for the sake of glory or profit are indeed apt to fall into decay in poor and obscure towns; but virtue, like a stout and hardy plant, takes root in any place where it finds a noble nature and a spirit ready to put forth effort. Hence, if we fail to think and to live as we ought, we cannot in justice blame the smallness of our native city for it, but ourselves."

Plutarch, from the "Life of Demosthenes."

Smyrna isn't the biggest place on the map, or the richest or most influential - but we've certainly had our virtuous men and women. Maybe you're one of them?

-DG

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