Virtue

Merit. Morals. Morality. Strength. Courage. Standards. All of these words come to mind when I think of virtue. My imagination takes me to the time of Ladies and Lords, a time when chivalry was the norm. The four classic cardinal virtues are temperance, prudence, courage, and justice. Christianity derives the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and love from 1 Corinthians. Love being the greatest of these. What virtues do we esteem? Do we still have morals and standards or is chaos the norm? Do we not respect each other? Have we lost our virtue? Has it slipped away from us under the guise of being politically correct? How do we get it back? 

"Love means to love that which is unlovable; or it is no virtue at all." -Gilbert K. Chesterton

Proud

Peacocks are such regal creatures. They have been used as symbols of immortality, beauty, and pride. The males shake their trains to attract females to mate with them. They strut around with their beautiful plumage for all to see.  We are sometimes like peacocks. We strut around boasting about our possessions and promotions. We expect accolades for our accomplishments. We are a proud people. We are taught to lift ourselves up by our bootstraps and make it happen. The truth is most of our success is not of our own doing. We did not do it alone. We had help. Our predecessors paved the way. Our parents carried us. Our friends supported us. It was a collective effort. Acknowledgment keeps us humble. Be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished, but always remember those who helped you along the way. 

"The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God."- Soren Kierkegaard