Monday, January 26, 2015

Prologue to the Lais by Marie de France


Marie de France is famous for her twelve lais, which are either poetic or musical works composed of rhymed stanzas containing 6-16 lines, with each line having 4-8 syllables per line (Marie preferred poems with 8 syllables per line (octosyllabic)). Even more specifically, Marie is famous for her work with Breton lais, which are short, rhymed romances containing supernatural and chivalric components. 


The first few opening lines of Marie's Prologue to the Lais are as follows: "Whoever gets knowledge from God, science, and a talent for speech, eloquence, shouldn't shut up or hide away; No that person should gladly display." These lines instantly made me think of Dr. Nido R. Qubein and his contributions not only to High Point University (HPU), but to the entire world through his renowned motivational books and speeches. Had Dr. Qubein chosen to ignore his gift to communicate and build connections with others, I am certain the modern organization that is High Point University would not be functioning at the capacity it is capable of in 2015. Dr. Qubein has helped foster an environment that allows the students of HPU to flourish not only during their college career, but also in their life beyond college. 


Finally, I could not help myself, as I once again found similar messages in the following quotes by Dr. Qubein and Marie de France:

"Whoever wants to be safe from vice should study and learn (heed this advice) and undertake some difficult labor; Then trouble is a distant neighbor--From great sorrows one can escape." - Marie de France

"Your present circumstances don't determine where you go; they merely determine where you start." - Dr. Nido R. Qubein 







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