“Therefore, what really matters is those little marks or twists on the central, inside part of the soul which are going to turn it, in the long run, into a heavenly or a hellish creature.” —C.S. Lewis
“What kind of person am I becoming?” The answer to that question will be affected by the things I do today. And in addition to what I say or do, who I’m becoming will also be affected by the feelings and motivations that I embrace as I go along.
For instance, if I need to correct or punish, do I take pleasure in doing so? Do I enjoy hating someone who’s hurt me, or clinging to bitterness or resentment? The danger is that over time these choices will affect who I become. As Lewis put it, they leave little marks or twists on the inside of our soul, which ultimately shape the type of person we will be in the future.
But, just as this can happen negatively, it can also happen positively. The decision to love and not hate; to wish someone the best, instead of secretly hoping the worst; to do the right but difficult thing instead of taking the easy way out—these decisions too can begin to mark our souls and shape who we become.
So, if our decisions today are going to leave marks, we are now faced with the question: What kind of marks will we leave?