Chivalry

Dear Reader,


I was brought up with bits and pieces of chivalry be taught in my home. When I say bits and pieces, I am mostly referring to the highlights of what chivalry once was. You can read all about the original code and rules from the middle ages and before by reading Wikipedia. However, it is important to note what the lingering effects of chivalry are and how they tie in with courtesy.

A man named Gautier gave what he thought the ten commandments of chivalry were, 5 of which I believe are still useful and vital today:

1. Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God.
2. Thou shalt never lie, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word.
3. Thou shalt be generous, and give largesse to everyone.
4. Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil
5. Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them.

These commandments are a great way to start a habit of becoming someone better. I mean, all five of these commandments sound similar to what Christ has taught us in the scriptures when he was talking to Ether, Moses, Peter and other prophets.

Another part of what I read about chivalry described the attribtues that every chivalrous person should have:

Loyalty - This is a devotion, adhereance, or sticking with a person, ideal or belief. What are you loyal to?

Forbearance - This is the abstaining or not doing of an action or using a certain object. Forbearance is necessary in chivalry because of situations that would tempt one to lose their cool or do something that would not be typical of a chivalrous person. One must forbear getting angry, evil practices, and aligning himself with those would behave poorly.

Hardihood - The dictionary lists several synonyms for hardihood instead of an actual definition. The words are boldness, courage, audacity, strength and power. One who is chivalrous must be willing to take on new challenges and be bold enough to stand up for what it is right.

Largesse - This is a fancy word for generosity or giving. One who is chivalrous gives to those in need and is very aware of those needs of others. When was the last time you gave to someone who was in need? Was it money? Was it time? Was it service?

Honor - When researching this word, there are lots of definitions. However, when it comes to chivalry, honor is equivalent to integrity. This means one who is honorable is also truthful, fair and trustworthy. When you have honor, that means you do the right thing and are honest about it.

The question now is: Why on earth am I going into so much detail about chivalry?

Well, I want to tell you about an experiences I had this week. One was simply walking across campus when a girl walking a perpendicular path to mine met my path in the quad. I could have rushed to walk in front of her with plenty of time. However, that move seemed aggressive and might have given her a sense that I had no respect for her as a person. The chivalrous action in this scenario was to wait and signal for her to walk first, showing largesse and honor to my fellow student. This lets her know that I care for others and am willing to forbear my ego in being faster than her.

This is a simple scenario, but it illustrates the point I want to make: chivalry is about being the type of person that gains others' trust and portrays a person who, although cares about weakness and does not want to be considered weak, is willing to consider others and not put themselves first.

I challenge you to try and be chivalrous this week. Find opportunities to be honorable, hardy, loyal and faithful. Let me know what you find.





**If you care, there is a song called Chivalry. It is a rap song, but it is the cleanest I have ever seen.