Chapter 270
Prayer Answered, Freedom Found
The dreadful news of the battle of Borodinó, of our losses in killed and wounded, and the still more terrible news of the loss of Moscow reached Vorónezh in the middle of September. Princess Mary, having learned of her brother’s wound only from the Gazette and having no definite news of him, prepared (so Nicholas heard, he had not seen her again himself) to set off in search of Prince Andrew. When he received the news of the battle of Borodinó and the abandonment of Moscow, Rostóv was not seized with despair, anger, the desire for vengeance, or any feeling…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
The Honest Want Inventory
Think of one area of your life where you might be going through the motions—a relationship, job, commitment, or goal. Write down what you think you're supposed to want in that situation, then write what you actually want. Notice the difference between these two lists and consider what opportunities you might be missing by not being honest about your real desires.
Consider:
- •Sometimes what we 'should' want comes from family expectations or social pressure
- •Being honest about what you want doesn't mean you have to act on it immediately
- •The gap between 'should want' and 'actually want' often reveals where we feel trapped
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you finally admitted what you really wanted and how that honesty changed what you noticed or how you acted. What opportunities became visible that you hadn't seen before?
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