I have been lately brought back in the course of my thinking to a word that I have not long pondered for any significant length of time until most recently: Essence. Simply defined, essence is the intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract, that determines its character. Further in the list of definitions for the word there is another fitting phrase, the likes of which I fear I could never compose so poetically: basically and without regard for peripheral details, fundamentally…critically important.
In considering the term, I am suddenly reminded of one of the readings from my days as an undergraduate studying philosophy. Having just this minute picked up a worn copy of St. Thomas’ On Being and Essence, my dim remembrances are both confirmed and strengthened by a cursory reading. Allow me to share a bit. From the first chapter: We ought to get our knowledge of simple things from composite things and arrive at what is prior by way of what is posterior, so that the learning process will begin, appropriately, with what is easier. For this reason we must begin with the meaning of ‘a being’ and proceed to the meaning of an essence. The importance of this, as he explains in greater detail later, is that a being (human or otherwise) is a composite of many parts, complex, but essence is simple, singular. Further, he argues that essence can be understood in two ways, one being, absolutely, according to its proper meaning. In this sense nothing is true of it except what belong to it as such; whatever else may be attributed to it, the attribution is false. For example, to man as man belong ‘rational’, ‘animal’, and everything else included in his definition; but ‘white’ or ‘black’, or any similar attribute not included in the notion of humanity, does not belong to man as man. In short, essence is the fundamental aspect that makes a thing that which it, and the accidentals that are attached to it are something else entirely.
So what of essence? Essence is not the conglomeration of elements come together over a duration of time or consequences; these are attributes, each hung on a man like Christmas ornaments from a pine. As observed in man, these ornaments are character or personality, but certainly not essence. Essence is far more primal than that. It is the building block for all other terms that might flow thereafter, a foundational piece composed of few elements. Essence is neither adaptable nor shed easily; it lies hidden beneath the surface, having been formed before anything was built upon it, like a cement slab beneath the Eiffel Tower.
What spurred such ramblings? – you might ask. I feel as if I have been uncovering my essence these last few weeks away, back home. Feelings and emotions, normally filled with cathartic images that must be slain like dragons reissuing from the dead each year, have been replaced with a different sort of flooding like old friends into my consciousness. Peace and calm fill the spaces reserved for regret and masochism as I walk the halls and drive the roads of my youth. It is as if the angst and restlessness of those years were merely the ornaments of personality clouding the essence that was founded in the bedrock of my creation – something like a DNA strand that, when decoded, reveals who a person is despite the outward camouflaging of skin and habit and age and guise. The Texas heat and the thin cool of mountain air have breathed into me an appreciation for my own essence, whatever that might be
In considering the term, I am suddenly reminded of one of the readings from my days as an undergraduate studying philosophy. Having just this minute picked up a worn copy of St. Thomas’ On Being and Essence, my dim remembrances are both confirmed and strengthened by a cursory reading. Allow me to share a bit. From the first chapter: We ought to get our knowledge of simple things from composite things and arrive at what is prior by way of what is posterior, so that the learning process will begin, appropriately, with what is easier. For this reason we must begin with the meaning of ‘a being’ and proceed to the meaning of an essence. The importance of this, as he explains in greater detail later, is that a being (human or otherwise) is a composite of many parts, complex, but essence is simple, singular. Further, he argues that essence can be understood in two ways, one being, absolutely, according to its proper meaning. In this sense nothing is true of it except what belong to it as such; whatever else may be attributed to it, the attribution is false. For example, to man as man belong ‘rational’, ‘animal’, and everything else included in his definition; but ‘white’ or ‘black’, or any similar attribute not included in the notion of humanity, does not belong to man as man. In short, essence is the fundamental aspect that makes a thing that which it, and the accidentals that are attached to it are something else entirely.
So what of essence? Essence is not the conglomeration of elements come together over a duration of time or consequences; these are attributes, each hung on a man like Christmas ornaments from a pine. As observed in man, these ornaments are character or personality, but certainly not essence. Essence is far more primal than that. It is the building block for all other terms that might flow thereafter, a foundational piece composed of few elements. Essence is neither adaptable nor shed easily; it lies hidden beneath the surface, having been formed before anything was built upon it, like a cement slab beneath the Eiffel Tower.
What spurred such ramblings? – you might ask. I feel as if I have been uncovering my essence these last few weeks away, back home. Feelings and emotions, normally filled with cathartic images that must be slain like dragons reissuing from the dead each year, have been replaced with a different sort of flooding like old friends into my consciousness. Peace and calm fill the spaces reserved for regret and masochism as I walk the halls and drive the roads of my youth. It is as if the angst and restlessness of those years were merely the ornaments of personality clouding the essence that was founded in the bedrock of my creation – something like a DNA strand that, when decoded, reveals who a person is despite the outward camouflaging of skin and habit and age and guise. The Texas heat and the thin cool of mountain air have breathed into me an appreciation for my own essence, whatever that might be
I thought this might be a good time for an official Stonelife-Update. Julie and I have the tendency to act like hermits, so for those of you who still claim us, this is probably a good way to tell you what is going on.
After a year at POPCS, we felt compelled for me to leave my job and focus exclusively on my own schooling. The time-restraint on a full-time teacher makes working full time on a post-graduate degree difficult at best with all of the meetings, paper-work, and general downtime where I am supposed to be doing "work" things while at that building. Although practically and financially it was not the wisest of decisions, we felt very strongly to move in that direction, so I quit my job with no prospects for employment apart from schooling. It was not two-weeks into summer that I received a call from POPCS that they had a part-time position that they opened up and would like me to fill. It was incredible timing. I have not agreed to do it yet, and we have not worked out the particulars with them yet, but it looks like the perfect blending of my two lives, teaching and studying, so we are excited about that. I also have lined up working with a tutoring agency starting in the fall, so who knows what that will entail.
Ever-consistent Julie has thrown me for a loop this summer as well. After debating for the better part of the last few months about changing apartments and jobs (her, not me), deciding that she loved where she worked and lived, she came and suggested looking at different apartments when our lease runs out at the end of the summer, and she wanted to explore options for working in a larger firm. It has been something of a whirlwind the last few weeks. She has interviewed with several large firms in Dallas, and she has had several offers made that she now has to choose between. On top of that, we decided to give true city-living a shot, and we are signing a lease with one of two highrises in downtown soon. We are making up our mind as to which one this weekend, but either will be in the heart of downtown, so that is exciting for us. We'll see.
I got all geared up to write this, but now that I started I am tiring out. This will have to suffice for now.
After a year at POPCS, we felt compelled for me to leave my job and focus exclusively on my own schooling. The time-restraint on a full-time teacher makes working full time on a post-graduate degree difficult at best with all of the meetings, paper-work, and general downtime where I am supposed to be doing "work" things while at that building. Although practically and financially it was not the wisest of decisions, we felt very strongly to move in that direction, so I quit my job with no prospects for employment apart from schooling. It was not two-weeks into summer that I received a call from POPCS that they had a part-time position that they opened up and would like me to fill. It was incredible timing. I have not agreed to do it yet, and we have not worked out the particulars with them yet, but it looks like the perfect blending of my two lives, teaching and studying, so we are excited about that. I also have lined up working with a tutoring agency starting in the fall, so who knows what that will entail.
Ever-consistent Julie has thrown me for a loop this summer as well. After debating for the better part of the last few months about changing apartments and jobs (her, not me), deciding that she loved where she worked and lived, she came and suggested looking at different apartments when our lease runs out at the end of the summer, and she wanted to explore options for working in a larger firm. It has been something of a whirlwind the last few weeks. She has interviewed with several large firms in Dallas, and she has had several offers made that she now has to choose between. On top of that, we decided to give true city-living a shot, and we are signing a lease with one of two highrises in downtown soon. We are making up our mind as to which one this weekend, but either will be in the heart of downtown, so that is exciting for us. We'll see.
I got all geared up to write this, but now that I started I am tiring out. This will have to suffice for now.
