Hugh Of St. Victor

This reading was very beautifully written. I liked the ways he described how what is “highest” is inside of us and how we often get caught up in the visible of what is outside of us (the “lowest). I think it is true that when we get really focused on material things such as money, what we own, who we date/marry, we often cheat our selves of something greater. Even if people do not believe in God and therefore would not seek God inside themselves, there still is a great benefit of “looking with our mind’s eye to what is invisible.” Giving thought and energy to the inner parts of ourselves can be much more fulfilling. Part of this is because chasing after the “visible” things of this world has no guarantees and often will let us down. Life seems to be the greatest when we have more to live for than the visible things. Coming to a place within yourself where you could still be “happy” and fulfilled if you lost everything (such as material possessions and even friends and family) is a great feeling. It is hard to be in that place and obviously if someone really did lose everything it would be difficult to deal with no matter who you are. To have something greater than all material things makes living an even greater experience. There have been times in my life where I could say that I was close to this point of having something higher with myself to live for than all of the visible things. It is not easy and most days I do get too caught up in material things. But from experience I do think that having that “higher” place within ourselves is one of the greatest things someone could know.