‘Willingness to be reformed’

The skeptical Charles Ives

“It is the courage of believing in freedom, per se, rather than of trying to force everyone to see that you believe in it – the courage of the willingness to be reformed, rather than of reforming – the courage teaching that sacrifice is bravery and force, fear – the courage of righteous indignation, of stammering eloquence, of spiritual insight, a courage contracting or unfolding a philosophy as it grows—a courage that would make the impossible possible.’’

-- Charles Ives (1874-1954), in Essays Before a Sonata.  This Danbury, Conn., native composed many avant-garde musical works and was an insurance executive and brilliant essayist. He is considered one of the greatest American composers. During his career as an insurance executive and actuary, Ives devised creative ways to structure life-insurance packages for people of means, which laid the foundation of the modern practice of estate planning.