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
Valid
We all want to feel like our feelings are valid. We want to know that our actions are justified. We want to know that others understand us. We want people to empathize with us. It's only natural. However, we must graduate from validation to prudence. For some of us, we may have to recognize that our validation may not come from the sources we seek. Our validation is internal. Maturity is the wisdom in knowing that while our feelings might be valid, certain actions are not. Find comfort in knowing that you have the right to feel how you feel, but feelings don't always have to translate into actions.
Understanding
I knew I was officially in Atlanta when I saw the So So Def billboard on 85. So So Def crept into my life through Cross Colours, backward jeans, and Kriss Kross. Da Brat would take me back to my summers in the Chi. Jagged Edge would be the soundtrack of my life. Xscape taught me how to kick it, who I could run to and understanding.
Music has a way of infiltrating our psyche. It can influence us in many ways. We all have a need to be understood. Understanding is achieved through communication. Listening. Digesting. Try to see someone else's point of view. Try to hear their heart. Try to see their intentions. Try to understand.
What I need from you is understanding
How can we communicate
If you don't hear what I say
What I need from you is understanding
So simple as 1, 2,3
Understanding is what I need
Unsung Heroes
They walk among us. They work alongside us. They live with us. Every day we encounter unsung heroes. Grandmothers raising grandkids. Surrogate mothers and fathers who stepped up when no one else would. Stepparents who embrace their spouse's children. Teachers who take the extra time to pay attention to the little things. Nurses who give a little more TLC. Customer Service Reps who go the extra mile. Strangers who smile in your direction. These are just a few of the unsung heroes who add to our lives on a daily basis. Acknowledge their sacrifice. Acknowledge their generosity. Appreciate them.
Unicorn
I love unicorns! Always have. Always will. Recently, unicorns have gained popularity. You can find unicorn inspired anything almost anywhere. I was gifted a unicorn pool inflatable. Needless to say, it was a hit at the pool and kids alike. Unicorns are mythical animals represented as a horse with a single straight horn projecting from its forehead. Unicorns are usually things that are hard to attain. They are sometimes referred to as the "perfect catch." A unicorn might be a guy or girl over a certain age that has never been married or doesn't have kids. Unicorns are special. They are a rarity. What is rare in your life? What do you deem special? Take the time today to appreciate those unique special things in your life that you may have taken for granted recently. Love the unicorn in your life. Celebrate it!
Transformers
I always enjoy looking at old pictures to see how much things have changed and to see how much I've grown. We have the ability to look back and evaluate our lives. Sometimes, it is hard to see our progress. We can't see the character changes. We can't see our maturation. Despite our inability to see, we've changed. We've grown. We've transformed. Congratulate yourself on what you did accomplish. Maybe you didn't lose those ten pounds, but you left that toxic relationship. Maybe you didn't buy that house, but you did get your finances in order. Change is a constant in our life. Every day we have the ability to transform. Every day we have the ability to change our trajectory in life. So, transform and roll out!
Talented
Talent is described as natural skill or aptitude. What do you do well? Can you cook? Can you bake? Can you build? Can you write? Can you draw? Are you good at connecting people? Rediscover your talent. Rediscover your passion. Rediscover your purpose. Revisit your vision. Rewrite the vision. Invest in you. You are talented!