Of Our Spiritual Strivings

This is also a very inspirational writing. Just in the beginning statement he sets the tone of what motivated him to write such a passionate essay.He states "Between me and the other world there is ever an unasked questions: unasked by some through feelings of delicacy, by others through the difficulty of rightly framing it. All, nevertheless, flutter around it.. They approach me in a half-hesitant sort of way, eye me curiously or compassionately, and then instead of saying directly, How does it feel to be a problem? They say, I know an excellent colored man in my town; or I fought at Mechanicsville, or do not these Southern outrages make your blood boil?”. Here Du Bois openly expresses an experience that could easily be hostile and filled with contempt. Instead, Du Bois exposes a unique woven quality of introducing the conflict of races and how one endures such a humiliating experience. Further on in the essay Du Bois begins to take in the plight of negative or naive energy around him but decides to make something out…of nothing. He states:“I had thereafter no desire to tear down that veil, to creep though, I held all beyond it in common contempt and lived above it in a region of blue sky and great wandering shadows.” Du Bois expertly described the surge of contempt but the undying strength to move forward. To strive for excellence of being a man of color in a world that has labeled him the lowest of the low. The masterful way Du Bois vision of the world during this time is excellently done in the following phrase: to tear down that veil to creep through.” It it holds so much truth and honesty, and the essay is completely breathtaking to read as for it motivates your emotion to not only relate to the issues at hand, however, it urges you feel it.
What I find the conclusion "Of Our Spiritual Striving" was really in the middle of the essay, fore Du Bois brillantly shows determination of purpose and higher focus on the big picture of things. That part that confirms this to me is as follow:“in a region of blue sky and great wandering shadows.” I, myself, could not have come up with a more perfectly woven statement, in order to conclude the awareness that I am different from those around me. In hopes to discover the true source of knowing that when I am not of the same color -- that I am an unique spiritual beging. I acknowledge the inner self of my soul that it is the true captive of my identity. Du Bois expresses this feeling with another quote:
“One ever feels his twoness, an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts two unrecognized strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. ”At times the journey can be rough and fuzzy to which way to proceed. It could be by anger. It could be by contempt and war. In order, to spiritually succeed one must go inner to heal the wounds that has been bestowed on them and chose wisely. Striving for a better experience is one thing on the course of higher learning but striving to love yourself and give love back…even to those that are filled with darkness is everlasting joy. Du Bois makes another influential statement in towards the end of his essay, he contemplates: “This, then, is the end of his striving; to be a co-worker in the kingdom of culture, to escape both death and isolation, to husband and use his best powers and his latent genius.” One day leads to many. It is what you choose to accomplish with the blessed days that matter. As I re-read Du Bois essay, I am completely filled with so many emotions. I admit to the feelings of frustration, regret, contempt but then enlightenment rises in my heart and I chose to read on. I read and discovered that Du Bois was a strong black man in the midst of a blazing fire. I can only image how the journey must have looked weary and fuzzy to find which way to precede. But he did made a choice, he continued on striving for excellence, And so shall I.