This book by C.S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces, has been on my bookshelf for years. I guess I have passed over this work so many times since fairy tales and myths are not necessarily my first preference. But maybe I am old enough now to start reading fairy tales!

…and so I did love reading this fairy tale! And, here are some of my favorite quotes and reflections.

Favorites

• “It was the hardest work I’d ever done, and, while it lasted, one could think of nothing else. I said not long before, that work and weakness are comforters. But sweat is the kindest creature of the three—far better than philosophy, as a cure for ill thoughts.”
• “The sight of the huge world put mad ideas into me, as if I could wander away, wander forever, see strange and beautiful things, one after the other to the world’s end. The freshness and wetness all about me…made me feel that I misjudged the world; it seemed kind, and laughing, as if its heart also danced.”
• “…but who can feel ugly, when their heart feels joy.”
• “One of his maxims was that if we cannot persuade our friends by reasons, we must be content and not bring a mercenary to our aid.”

Reflections

In Till We Have Faces, CS Lewis is said to have reworked the classical myth of Cupid and Psyche. Although true, his rendition focuses most on the thoughts and emotions of Psyche’s ugly half-sister, Orual. Her struggle was with rejection and ultimately smothering the ones who did love her. When few people care, is it any wonder to hold tightly to those who do?

If there is anyone we think most about, it is ourselves, as Orual herself did throughout this story. And of interest is how often she explained herself to herself finding all sorts of justification for her thoughts and deeds. This is certainly a method we all use in self-evaluation, maybe too frequently leading to an ideological justification for our own actions.

Such ideological justification seems to be increasingly prevalent. More and more within our current culture of extremes, the mantra of the day seems to be “the end justifies the means.”

For the benefit of not only ourselves but truly loving those around us and for the health of society, we remain hampered Till We Have Faces, til we face the truth. I believe our journey begins with sincerity in our hearts and honesty in how we impact those around us. This is what I desire, that hopefully my thoughts turn quickly toward others first and myself last.