While waiting for someone to arrive at an appointment, I was sitting in my car while having a good look around at the movements of pre-Spring. The trees seem to be growing anxious for the weather to start warming so they can begin sending sap back up their trunks and branches giving life to their dormant buds. Every year I attempt to find the actual essence of the crossing over from dormancy to life with the plants, and for some reason, Spring seems to suddenly one day happen without notice. Still waiting for my appointment I noticed a pair of cardinals in a tree pecking away at likely dried fruit that survived the winter. Every time I see cardinals I get a warm and fuzzy feeling. They are about the most non-troublesome birds in nature. Most times we hear them but don’t see them especially when the trees are heavy with leaves. I’ve never seen them fighting with other birds, they don’t make a mess in gardens, they don’t roost in large numbers and leave nasty piles of droppings, and they seem to nest in some of the most tucked away places where humans rarely see their hatchlings. Most people like to watch the males simply because of their vibrant colors, but I also like the females with their soft greenish feathers. The females seem even all the more elusive than males simply because they blend in with the greenery and don’t sing as the males do.
People may think me a bit dramatic when I say oft times when I see or hear a cardinal, I think of the four cardinal virtues. Unfortunately most people have no idea what they are simply because they’ve been pushed aside and likely not taught in most schools today. I believe if we would all learn them and place them into practice in our personal lives as well as our work world, humanity would likely find itself taking a giant step upward in personal growth and social development.
I happened to be in a conversation with a clerk at an office today where he asked me something about another person that rang loudly of idle gossip. I simply said, “I really don’t dig into the personal lives of clients and customers.” It likely wasn’t the answer he was expecting, but I was kind. With that said, the four cardinal virtues are as follows:
1. Justice
We must consider it the most important of the cardinal virtues because it speaks loud and clear of fairness in all aspects of life.
2. Temperance
We all must learn to practice self-control in our thoughts, words, and actions. Many ills of the world have been caused by not restraining our egos.
3. Courage
Too many times we cave and allow others to manipulate us simply out of fear of not being of the masses. It takes strength as well as endurance to hold truths fast.
4. Prudence
Oft times we don’t allow wisdom to guide our actions and subsequently find ourselves behaving inappropriately. Doing crude things for attention lacks regard for those who would rather be considered naive than jaded.
I do hope everyone enjoys the photo I took today and begin living the Cardinal Virtues.
