the sevens

So we're all familiar with that movie with Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in which Kevin Spacey puts something in a box (Hey, where'd Gwyneth go? Could have sworn she was in it, too. Huh ...).

This morning, I thought I would blog about the Sevens. Those are the Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Virtues. For those of you who are mathematically-challenged, that equals a bunch of Sins and Virtues. You're welcome. 

The movie was about the Sins because, frankly, Sins make a much more dramatic theatergoing experience. You likely already know the Sins are Gluttony, Sloth, Envy, Greed, Lust, Wrath, and Pride. Their Virtuous counterparts are Temperance, Diligence, Kindness, Charity, Chastity, Patience, and Humility.

I am not a religious person, but I still find value in visiting the Sevens every once in a while. The Sins are traits that lead to disharmony in the world and in our personal lives. If you are a writer, they make great motivations for characters that get themselves into predicaments, but in life, we probably want something a little less dramatic. The Virtues are traits that, in their best form, can bring harmony, but can actually lead to problems themselves (more about that in a moment).

Each Sin has a Virtue that is a counterpart. They are Gluttony-Moderation, Sloth-Perseverance, Envy-Compassion, Greed-Charity, Lust-Purity, Wrath-Prudence, and Pride-Humility. You'll notice I changed some of the Virtues? That is because I felt like it. Some of the Virtues in their original state deny that a little bit of something considered a Sin can be okay. Like I said --I am not a religious person. For example, sticking with Diligence as a Virtue, it seems to me that resting would be considered to be Sloth. Perseverance seems more appropriate because resting in order to persevere is sometimes needed. Too much of anything is probably not the best idea. Moderation is a Virtue, right?

In my life, I suppose I dip my toe into all of the Sins, going up to mid-shin in the pools of Sloth, Gluttony, and Pride. Pretty sure I do. I am trying to be more aware when I do it, and I am trying to be more thoughtful about practicing the Virtues in my everyday thoughts and actions. Am I perfect yet? Nope. Am I trying to be better and better for the purpose of making the world the kind of place I'd like to be in? Yup.

Why am I blogging about this? No idea. Might be Pride, but I'm pretty sure my intentions are altruistic and I'm trying for Compassion, possibly Prudence.

So random thought for the day: do you think the Sevens could help you?