Spiritual Sparks: Taking the High Road

Originally published in Spiritual Sparks on June 11, 2026.

Fiorello LaGuardia, mayor of New York City during the 1930s, occasionally presided over night court. One evening, a woman was brought before him, accused of stealing a loaf of bread. The facts were not in dispute.

LaGuardia listened to her story. Her daughter was ill, her grandchildren were hungry, and she had no money for food. She had taken the bread, and the law required a penalty.

The courtroom waited to hear what the judge would do. Would he show mercy, or strictly enforce the law?

✨3 Ideas

**Beyond what is required **

The high road is choosing what is best when something less would have been sufficient. Honesty is good; integrity is better. Fairness is good; generosity is better. Civility is good; kindness is better.

The soul is drawn to what is noble, not merely what is permissible. It seeks excellence, greatness, and the expression of our finest values.

The high road is loftier than refusing to retaliate or choosing not to get even. It asks not, “What must I do?” but ”What is the best thing I can do?”

**Why the high road is difficult **

The soul asks, “What is the best thing I can do?” The ego insists, “I deserve recognition.”

Once we begin focusing on what we deserve, it becomes easy to keep score. We replay old hurts, remember overlooked sacrifices, and calculate who owes us what.

The high road begins where obligation ends. It invites us to rise above resentment, entitlement, and pride, and to act according to our highest values rather than our strongest impulses.

**Choosing greatness **

The high road can be found in everyday choices: showing more patience than a situation requires, returning money that could have been kept, or offering kindness when simple courtesy would have been enough.

Such choices reflect a deep connection to the soul’s desire for excellence. They express a commitment to doing what is right and good, not merely what is expected.

Every high road choice shapes the person we are capable of becoming. In choosing what transcends mere obligation, we outwardly express the greatness within us.

📜2 Quotes

“Righteousness guards the one whose way is blameless …” — Proverbs 13:6

“Take the high road; it’s far less crowded.” — _Warren Buffett _

❓1 Question

What is one way of interacting with others that you can elevate from ‘good’ to ‘great’?

What did LaGuardia do? He upheld the law.

The woman was guilty, and he imposed the required ten-dollar fine. But then he did something extraordinary. He paid the fine himself and fined everyone in the courtroom fifty cents for living in a city where a grandmother had to steal bread to feed her hungry grandchildren. LaGuardia then took the extra money and gave it to the grandmother.

LaGuardia understood that justice alone was not enough. The law required a penalty. The high road called for something more.

We encounter similar situations daily. The question is whether we are willing to do what is best, not simply what is required. The high road begins where obligation ends.

Until next time, Wishing you a week of expressing the greatness that already exists within you,

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason

P.S. Has anyone recently showed you kindness beyond what you expected? If so, I’d love to hear the story.

P.P.S. Last week marked the release of Spiritual Sparks: A Reader on Amazon. Thank you to all who have helped bring this project to life through your encouragement, support and friendship.