Love and the Reasons Why

         “Syna, what are you doing? We leave next week.” Myalo was a very large city, the hometown that I had often longed for during the journeys that Skepsi and I so frequently took. The comfort of familiarity was never far away in Myalo, but learning and knowledge was the basis of our society, so I always had new Thoughts that I found myself wanting to explore. I was making plans to examine a recently acquired Thought at the westernmost border when Skepsi came to look over my shoulder. “Next week!” I cried, dropping my notebook and turning to stare at him. “Skepsi, I’d forgotten about the assignment. I need to draw up our task list.” Skepsi sighed. “I had suggested you complete that last week.” His voice was stern, but even as I watched him he seemed to smile. “You always wait so late. Nevermind, I’ll help you. You know what course we plan to take?” “Generally. I believe we are following up on the last assignment?” I reached for the holo-scroll that co...

  To many a Christian reader, Marsilio Ficino’s letters may immediately seem to resemble Paul’s letters to the first century churches. Paul writes to fellow Christians, and Ficino writes to fellow thinkers. Paul has a very simple, blunt writing style, and Ficino has the same. Most of all, both authors can fit a wealth of information and meaning into a single passage. Ficino, for example, writes a passage in his letter to Cardinal Riario about the importance of how one treats his senses, his friends, and his mind (Ficino 9). At first glance, the topics seem somewhat unrelated. Upon further scrutiny, however, one sees how well all three topics connect and apply in everyday life. Marsilio Ficino connects senses, relationships, and thoughts to a healthy way of life, giving the Cardinal and future readers a basis for how to live their lives in the service of God and others. Ficino first addresses a person’s senses, explaining how we are to treat them and how we are to use them. “Just ...