| |
On
the Road to Knighthood
by Sir Steven
Forgette
April
4, 2007
All
True Knights are indeed Knights of The Quest,
the Eternal Quest—for it is a Quest that never ends.
The Grail is that illusive something that is always just
out of reach. It is that which inspires us to become better
than who we are. I remember the famous quote, that is very
apropos to The Holy Grail: Our reach should always exceed
our grasp—or what's a Heaven for? I have always found
that once I have attained a certain goal, a kind of depression
or discontentment sets in. I end up asking myself: Is that
all there is? Or: What do I do now? What is my next goal?
I was always restless and looking for the next Grand Adventure.
Then I discovered what I refer
to as The True Grail. I now realize that it
is The Quest itself that is important—not
the attainment of that Quest. Now, I look on each new day
as an opportunity for High Adventure in the service of God,
my neighbors, humanity, the greater Good. I try to live
my life in service to The Light, as opposed to The Darkness
that continually strives to engulf our very existence.
I will always consider myself
to be a Grail Knight—for in my own humble
opinion, that is the highest form of Knighthood there is.
The Grail Knight realizes that he is far from perfect and
that he lives in an imperfect world. His goal, his vocation,
is to endeavor to improve himself and to make this world
of ours a better place in which to live. The Grail Knight
struggles to do so not only for himself, but for all others—those
who are here now and for all the unborn generations yet
to come.
One of my all-time favorite
quotes is this: A Knight may Quest for The Holy Grail over
land & sea, in many climes, without avail. Yet, he may
find it, in the cup of cold water, extended to a thirsty
person at his own front door.
March
22, 2007
Chivalry's
importance to the evolution of Western Civilization
has always been argued about by critics. Some have referred
to it as The most glorious institution that man himself
ever devised and The splendid institution
which threw its luster over so many ages of gloom and anarchy.
There were other critics who condemned Chivalry for its
glorification of war, its contempt for social inferiors,
and its picturesque mimicry of high sentiment, heroism,
love and courtesy.
Centuries ago, there were
some desperate attempts to revive the Old Code of
Chivalry, but as time went on, only a few traces
of this lost institution remained. Religion no longer had
much influence on the military spirit of men; Knights gave
up their ancient splendor and became mere soldiers, while
the fine art of Gallantry turned into nothing but licentiousness.
In truth, Chivalry back then
catered to both the virtues and vices of humanity. Even
so, the qualities of valor, steadfastness and justice, of
courtesy, loyalty and obedience—although no longer
publicly embraced, were never entirely forgotten. The noble
goals of Chivalry left an enduring mark on our culture.
It would be difficult for anyone to deny that modern courtesy
descended from the ideal of Medieval Chivalry.
It can be said that Chivalry
proved as susceptible as any other ideal to the perilous
pitfalls of practice. As a Knight, who takes the Code of
Chivalry very seriously, I will neither challenge nor defend
these arguments at this time. My purpose here is simple.
It is to provide information on the subject of Chivalry—an
institution which flourished magnificently for a brief period
only, yet whose influence lives on today.
May it be the Quest of Chivalry-Now
to awaken this cultural ideal from its slumber. It is so
desperately needed in today's world. So, to answer the age-old
question, Is Chivalry Dead? I have only this
to say, taken from a book written by Charles Edward Pogue
entitled Dragonheart:
The
right can never die,
If one person still recalls.
The Words are not forgot,
If one voice speaks them clear.
The Code forever shines,
If one heart holds it bright.
May
the members of Chivalry-Now rekindle that spark of
Chivalry, until it blazes like the sun, illuminating the
whole world.
March
21, 2007
Just
a few Chivalric Thoughts,
to start your day.
This world is an uncertain realm,
filled with danger. Where Honor is constantly undermined
by the Powers of Evil. Where Freedom is sacrificed, when
the weak are oppressed by the strong. But there are those
who oppose these powerful forces. Who have dedicated their
lives in service to the Greater Good, through the Code of
Chivalry/Grail Code. They are members of Chivalry-Now!
The Virtues which are considered
essential to a good and true Knight are: Valor, Unswerving
Loyalty, Determination to fight for the Good and the Right,
Generosity, Love, Devotion, Sacrifice and Joyful Courage.
One of the most popular and famous
images of the Knight is precisely that of the Knight-Errant—the
wandering adventurer who goes out into the wide world with
no other possessions than his horse, armor and weapons,
no other resources than his martial skill and courage. The
Knight-Errant would wander the wide world in search of adventure
and opportunities to Right Wrongs and fight Injustice.
As Knights we must preserve the
ideals of personal bravery, protection of the weak, and
above all an indomitable and unequivocal daring in the face
of adverse conditions.
Knights should be inspired to a
fearless dedication, regardless of self, in the cause of
The Code of Chivalry. True Chivalry is that
spirit or state of mind which disposes men to heroic and
generous actions.
Your Quest Brother,
Sir Knight Steven M. Forgette
|
|
