Chapter 309
The Price of Glory
The men rapidly picked out their horses in the semidarkness, tightened their saddle girths, and formed companies. Denísov stood by the watchman’s hut giving final orders. The infantry of the detachment passed along the road and quickly disappeared amid the trees in the mist of early dawn, hundreds of feet splashing through the mud. The esaul gave some orders to his men. Pétya held his horse by the bridle, impatiently awaiting the order to mount. His face, having been bathed in cold water, was all aglow, and his eyes were particularly brilliant. Cold shivers ran down his spine and his…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Proving Moments
Think of a time when you felt pressure to prove yourself - at work, school, or in relationships. Write down what you were trying to prove, what safe approach you could have taken, and what risky shortcut you were tempted by (or took). Then identify one current situation where you or someone you know might be falling into this same pattern.
Consider:
- •What made proving yourself feel so urgent in that moment?
- •Who could have offered you a safer path to demonstrate your worth?
- •How can you tell the difference between healthy challenge and dangerous proving?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when following protocol or taking the slow path actually helped you build real competence, even though it felt frustrating at the time.
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