The Camel, the Lion, and the Sacred "Yes"
Updated: Oct 5
"Life must not be a novel that is given to us, but one that is made by us."
I love this line from Novalis. The subtext is that most people lead lives given to us by others. Parents, teachers, culture, expectations, etc. We are “situated individuals” (Heidegger) and we usually don’t even realize it.
But what does this say about personal transformation?
Enter Nietzsche, the camel, the lion, and the child.
The camel accepts the burden.
“The camel says: ‘I will bear the load you place upon me.’”
He carries all those expectations. This is good because it’s about discipline and responsibility.
But then invariably the question comes up:
“There must be more than this. What do I really want?
In steps the lion.
“The lion must still do some fighting... he must still become strong to be able to say no.”
This is courage and the lion says no to the stories that don't fit him anymore.
So that’s it, right? Now I have freedom.
Not so fast, according to Nietzsche. One more step, because while the lion is very good at saying no, it can’t do one very important thing: create.
That's the domain of the child.
In the words of Nietzsche:
“Finally, the spirit becomes a child: a child is innocence, forgetfulness, a new beginning, a game, a self-propelled wheel, a sacred ‘Yes.’”
The child says yes.
This is where Nietszche and the Romantics come together—the creative yes (not the obedient one). The yes that starts over again, and the yes that Novalis is referencing in the quote.
Abigail’s sacred "Yes."
“Life must not be a novel that's given to us. It must be made by us.”
We don't control everything obviously, but we need to participate in the writing.
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