Virtues  from the Heart of Sarasusan

I once heard someone describe excellence. It is not to achieve perfection, rather it is a road somewhere between perfection and failure; where you know that your heart is your guide and that even though you will never be perfect, you are giving your all so that you do not give up and fail.

First and foremost, the most important virtue I shall hold is that of:

Faith:

 Faith in  my loving and serving a merciful God.  And through this faith, and the belief in his omnipotent wisdom, I borrow this prayer from Franklin:

"O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! Increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. Strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favours to me."

Without seeking God, these virtues I cannot attain in their fullest.

Love:

 If I am ever to claim love in any form to anyone, then I must remember these words from the book of Corinthians from the Bible.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.

Charity:

 This is not just about money. It is about my time, my talent, and any resource that I can use to make a difference in the world.

Hope:

Hope means that I will never give up on myself, and always trust that as long as I let good things happen, they always will. 

Compassion:

 No matter how painful it is to feel, or whatever I may be going through , there is always something that is going through something worse. I will have compassion for those near and far and do whatever I can to bring hope to any heart that I cross paths with.

Purity:  

To try to stifle my human indulgences, so that I might live a longer, healthier life, and have more time to do the works of good.

Franklin wrote about his struggle with order, and in this he realized that there it is impossible to achieve perfection, and therefore accepted that it is ok to be flawed.  Just like him though, I know that with at least the effort to recognize the flaws within me, that I will still achieve something, rather than not trying at all.

Knowledge:

 To always seek out knowledge, and know that there is always something to learn, and appreciate the fruit of the minds of others.

Honor:

To honor who I am in my heart and in my soul and to honor the sanctity of my marriage, and honor the many roles that I have been given in my life; mother, sister, wife, and friend. I cannot take these roles for granted. I am in them for a reason.

Cleanliness:

I believe aesthetics do play a part in credibility. I like to present myself as an outward reflection of my inner self, as well as the environment that I live in.  For example, you feel much better sitting in a clean and modern office of a dentist than that of one filled with old equipment. Somehow you automatically trust this specialist, if you will.

Humility:

Franklin said it best:  Imitate Jesus. He was friends with everyone. He had not a single hate in his heart, even when he acted in angers ( as toward the pharmacies, it was out of disciple and to call out those who were hypocrites. Franklin says it well, “that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance. “  No one is perfect, and I shall never conduct myself as if I am.

Duty:

 With the very faith in God and his works, that drive me to want to do great things , I feel it is my duty to sacrifice myself for the sake of others; To spread compassion for others and for equality. It is my duty to build bridges.  Not argue why I think I know more, and degrade the heart of every soul.

“It will be remark'd that, tho' my scheme was not wholly without religion, there was in it no mark of any of the distinguishing tenets of any particular sect. I had purposely avoided them; for, being fully persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, and that it might be serviceable to people in all religions, and intending some time or other to publish it, I would not have anything in it that should prejudice anyone, of any sect, against it.”

I believe that my list, although inspired by my faith, can also be practiced by anyone with goodness in their heart.

Quotes taken from Franklin’s Autobiography : http://www.gutenberg.org/files/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm