Okay - as promised - in this week’s message I am going to provide a general framework for understanding what true virtue is and the unique conditions in which it is genuinely expressed or demonstrated - and will attempt to do all of this as efficiently and pragmatically as I possibly can.

First off, thank you to everyone who sent a message regarding their experience reading about Ben Franklin’s the Art of Virtue. The responses we received were very positive and gratifying. My driving hope and purpose with this series was to develop an impactful, practical, meaningful, and educational look at the power of intentionally practicing virtue.

I have decided to take the remaining 4 virtues and wrap them all up into one message. My apologies if your favorite virtue is one of these four - and it may not be getting the full attention it deserves (if this is true for anyone - I invite you to give me a call - I would be thrilled to have a meaningful discussion with you regarding your appreciation of said virtue!).

Have you been in a relationship that started out with amazing passion? You got butterflies every time you saw the person and wanted to be with them every moment of every day. The connection was electric. But after a few months things started to fizzle?

Have you ever felt cheated? I’m not talking about “someone ate the last donut” kind of cheated, although that is pretty annoying. We’re talking about true injustice - the kind that can feel personal - like finding out that the raise in your performance review was less than you’d expected?

Have you ever told a lie? If you say you haven’t, you’re most likely lying. It’s human nature to protect ourselves and our interests, and everyone of us has resorted to dishonesty at some point in our lives.

Ben Franklin was many things, a statesman, an inventor, a politician, and a writer. But one thing he would never be accused of is being lazy. He often was striving towards important goals that produced important innovations that would eventually change our nation for the better.

Our consumerist society wants us to believe that we are what we buy. Consumerism says that everything we purchase and the things we own, send a message to the world about who you we are and the values we hold. This makes sense, because the most successful companies in the world are not selling products, they are selling experiences, memories, security and identity. 

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? At some point, all of us have finished out a year and decided we wanted to make some changes. Maybe we decide to add a positive habit into our lives - like exercising more, starting a new business, spending more time with friends, or becoming more patient in our relationships.

Almost 300 years have passed since old Ben set out to perfectly live the virtue of Order. Yet, our lives today are far busier and distraction-filled than Ben could ever have imagined.

Today, we are often pressed for time, stressed, and subject to daily annoyances. These frustrations are then frequently taken out on those around us without a second thought. How many times have we responded with a snarky comment or passive aggressive response at a family member, co-worker, partner, or even stranger serving us a meal because we are frustrated and irritated? Why do we do this?

Have you ever noticed that the first few bites of a delicious meal are the best? After an entire course you become accustomed to the taste, and while the food is still savory, it lacks that initial sensation of the first bite or sip.