Entering the narrow gate through hell. What Dante taught me about change.
In Inferno’s 1st chapter Dante follows Virgil’s path that leads outside the dark wood. Following Virgil, Dante’s goal is to follow Virgil’s path through hell. But in Inferno’s 2nd chapter Dante wavers outside the path. Dante expresses his inability to undertake Virgil’s proposed journey.
“Then I began: ‘O poet come to guide me,
Tell ne if you think my worth sufficient
Before you trust me to this arduous journey.”
Canto II, lines 10-12
Fear restraints Dante; he refuses to follow Virgil. Dante invents reasons he can’t go:
“But why am I to go? What allows me to?
I am not Aeneas; I am not Paul,
Neither I nor any man would think me worthy;
and so, if I should undertake the journey,
I fear it might turn out an act of folly.”
Canto II lines 31-35
Then someone changes Dante. From heaven, his lifelong love, Beatrice, addresses him.
“Why are you such a coward in your heart?
Why aren’t you bold and free of all your fear,
When three such gracious ladies, who are blessed,
Intercede for you?”
Canto II, lines 121-123
Dante’s character changes: he becomes courageous.
“My wilted strength began to bloom within me,
And such warm courage flowed in my heart
That I spoke like a man set free from fear.
I have returned to my first goal.
I followed Virgil off on that deep and rugged path.”
Canto II, lines 130-132, 142
What does Dante’s change from fear to courage teach us about change?
Dante’s character change teaches us, to change, we must find inspiration, a reason. Beatrice was Dante’s reason.
For instance, if my goal is to write 1000 words per day and I’m uninspired, what must I change? I must find inspiration, motivation. Motivation comes in different ways.
Some people gather inspiration from life events-financial crises, emergencies, health issues. Sometimes inspiration does not come to us. We must find inspiration. In Dante’s case inspiration found him; Beatrice visited him.
For most of us, however, we must find and seek inspiration.