To look within...

Spirit.

It cannot be broken and it cannot be stolen away. One lost in the throes of despair might feel otherwise, but in truth, the spirit remains; sometimes buried but never fully removed. The physical powers of the body cannot be separated from the rationale of the mind and the emotions of the heart. They are one and the same, a compilation of singular being. It is the harmony of these three--body, mind and heart-- that we find spirit.

How many tyrants have tried? How many rulers have sought to reduce their subjects to simple, unthinking instruments of profit and gain? They steal the loves, the religions, and the cultures of their people; they seek to steal their spirit. Ultimately and inevitably, they fail. This I must believe. If the flame of the spirit's candle is extinguished, there is only death, and the tyrant finds no gain in a kingdom of corpses.

Spirit. In every language, in every time, in every place, the word has a ring of strength and determination. The manifestation of Spirit is truly the quality that attracts me to women. All the bright eyes and smiles don't mean a thing if there is nothing behind them. I've looked long and hard at the various women that have come into my life and left their marks, on my body and in my soul. The one common trait in them all was a willingness to live. I don't mean just merely maintaining the necessary comforts of life, but truly living; appreciating everything and everyone around them.

There is a fire that burns within. A richness so pure words cannot begin to describe. Zeal. A rushing torrent of conviction, nobility, and an appreciation deeper than any trench in the sea. It isn't how they look that grabs my attention; it's all the thoughts, feelings, and emotions swirling around in the glow of those twin pupils.

Her looks may capture my sight, but it's her Spirit that captures my heart.