Sometimes, things just stand out. Like a bad hat. This was the case for James I, in the portrait accompanying his bio. One of two things happened in that portrayal of him. Either 1. the artist had very little skills in portrait painting and did a terrible rendition of him, including the bad hat, but also the apparent Grill-Master briquette smudges around the inside of his eye and nose. Or 2. James I really and truly looked this way, not being able to afford a hat to fit his head, and not being prepared enough to wash his face before he sat for the painting.
Either way, those were my first impressions of James I. Now, as a king, I’m not entirely sure what was in it for him. I mean, when I think of king, I think of nice clothing, a big red cape with the white lapels, and little thorny things sticking out. I think of cushioned velvety thrones and a big gold scepter. Followed by feasts of food and drink.
But this was James. Poor James. A Scottish King, for one. Today is his birthday, by the way — December 10, 1394. Now, don’t get me wrong. Scotland’s a fine place, I’m sure, and I have lots of friends with Scottish backgrounds. But it always seems so rough-and-tumble to me. So — I don’t know — Mel Gibson in that horrible outfit and painted blue half face.
Anyway, James I was King of Scotland from April 4, 1406, to February 21, 1437. Here’s the thing. The first 18 years of the King’s reign were spent in prison at the English court. Yes indeed. This, after he was captured and delivered there by pirates. Arrrr. Matey.
James was ransomed in 1424 and returned to Scotland. To help secure his crown James had some of his nobles executed and made others hostage. That seems to be the height of his ruling wisdom. He didn’t build infrastructure or organize health care. None of that. Just some murdering here and there.
As it turned out. This came back to him. James was, in turn, murdered in 1437 by his own uncle. And that was the end of James.
I don’t know what the payoff was for him. I can’t tell where the checkmarks fell in the plus column. It seemed to me like one big twisted mess.
I suppose that can be life sometimes. There have been moments in my life where I’ve made bad choices or gone down the wrong path. But at some point, we have to realize that there isn’t any payoff.
And when I say payoff, I mean it in the holiest of terms. When we perform a good deed or give someone a gift or helping hand, we probably shouldn’t be thinking, “What’s in it for me?” Not that kind of a payoff.
No. When moments like that happen in our lives, we receive the kindest payoff of all. The unseen. The beauty of the good, the whole of the energy, the sparkling of the light. And it swirls around and finds it way inside us, forever to stay in our hearts in our souls. Making us brighter and lighter with each beat of giving.
That kind of payoff.
There is none of this to be found in the likes of murder, greed, deception, and on. It didn’t seem like James I was finding any, at least.
I think the more we learn, the more we understand. And this awareness of the soul is the path to our everyday well-being. Like faerie dust. But you can call it whatever makes you happy.
And so today, we light our way.
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“We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”
― Plato
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“There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.”
― Leonard Cohen, Selected Poems, 1956-1968
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“May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
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King Jimmy got it wrong folks
