Previously: "Virtue is excellence and perfection, just as vice, its contrary, denotes a defect or absence of perfection. In its strictest meaning, however, as used by moral philosophers and theologians, virtue signifies a habit super-added to a faculty of the soul, disposing it to elicit with readiness acts conformable to our rational nature." (excerpt, MooPig Wisdom, June 9, 2009; HERE)
Tornado Proofing our Family Structures with Virtue
by Pat Darnell
It occurs in many families throughout the land, an explosion of tempers, that is remembered by siblings and parents. Usually this expository of emotion relieves no one, and whatever the real issues were, are forgotten. A tornado flits by, lifts the roof from the rafters, tussles the household; then it is over.
Have I considered path of man from child to man and woman in this manner? Yes. We understand this: we come to an understanding first with our family persons that we do not understand each other... whoever we are. Why?
Most of my life I enjoyed fat breakfast every morn, a fabulous book to read, and blessing of work every day. I have had hard days, and hard day's nights. By the grace of God I survived. What I did not experience has been explained to me with freedom of word and deed. My entire family is surviving still all around.
Do I believe Families provide a chance for young ones to learn virtues, simply by teaching the opposites of those characteristics? Yes I do, but how?
For instance, where else can a child learn bribery, graft, usurpation, avarice or jealousy, bargaining, pecking order, time-wasters, and blundering. A child learns early these torments, and how others deal with them, where else but in their family of siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and pets. As above: "a habit super-added to a faculty of the soul, disposing it to elicit with readiness acts conformable to our rational nature."
For me that little definition implies that family life -- no matter how virtuous or not -- is rational. Also, how can one depart from one's soul, and not seek virtues in the presence of one's own family members?
Sure, rationally, one can choose to read virtues and contrary themes in Shakespeare, or listen to music describe remnants of life -- life as work, life as eating, life as sleeping -- and of course birth and death.
No infant I know can read at her age of one year. That cancels out Shakespeare as a source reference for Baby's dealing with her litter of siblings, cousins, parents and their own siblings.... right?
You bet that is right. By age five it is said children have locked in what each's personality will be. It has to do with birth order, genetic arrangements and the condition of their domicile. No other frame of reference is used that magically dominates a child's condition.
Looking around, but of course, I find no first-person narrative has ever been written from the first five years of infancy point-of-view. Not even the first five years of infant Jesus's life is written in a first person guide to aid in our development as virtuous family members. However, later Jesus did ask his followers to receive His faith in His next of kin -- God the Father... eh? [Thanks to Garnetgurl]
Like some cultures, we also could consider children of infancy are absolutely in their own communion with the universe. Virtue, and its contradictions, is born there, in the secret language of infants, and practiced later in families.
I realize this is a monster assumption, on many levels, and looks like a conspiracy. My frame of reference comes from observing my six children I have been given. I don't apologize for being a lifetime learner. And, between you and me, I assume that anyone who finds this interesting, will transcend my belief and prove someday where virtue really does spawn. If only some how we at last apply virtues, for which there is no law against, in our lives as family members.
Frankly, there can be no harm in exploring possibilities of tornado proofing our houses with virtues purchased and forwarded by our ancestry; and should we invite an elephant into our Living Room, we should at least discuss it's presence there... no?
6 comments:
Well, I started to read this before, not sure when, but then didn't since, as I've mentioned, I don't have too much family stuff goin' on...no six children, etc!
But here I am again, and I'm readin'...oh! thanks for the mention! and I keep on readin', and this is interesting...which is amazing that I can concentrate, I've been working all day practically on my next post...
You mention infants and virtue forming at such a barely-there stage of existence. I have thought, though of course I don't actually remember anything - that, an infant would experience entirely his/her own needs & sensations. Everything would be about themselves, in a sense, initially. My mother died before I reached my third week of life, & one day in recent years I was thinking, an infant wouldn't know WHAT happened, only THAT something awful did, & might not that baby 'think' he/she were perhaps the cause of it? On some level? And develop a pattern of attempting to figure out what's wrong, and make it better? Not just for his/her own self, I mean as a way of helping. Which is how I think.
Whoa...what got me started here?!!!
...and speaking of six children, Happy Father's Day, pdnf !
You are such a good Bubbalin' to mention all that to me and I thank you for your friendship, understnading, and guidance...
You said: "...You mention infants and virtue forming at such a barely-there stage of existence. I have thought, though of course I don't actually remember anything - that, an infant would experience entirely his/her own needs & sensations..." (G-Gurl)
At this very moment, in this space, I feel as if I am still in "a barely-there stage of existence" myself... as my shape-shifter chldren continue to erase everything I might have thought should have; ought have; could have been developmentally possible...
and they re-enact, re-define [it, id, ego] with highly evolved "frustrations, schemes, delusions, and adaptations..." that flank me into surrender...
yet an unfathomable element of "those barely-there years," before they begin "speaking" in paragraphs [about three]... sticks like tar to the progressing organism.
That is the bit that is what I now believe is God's little pull-me push-me ingredient for shake and bake... just to make the trek through impending adolescence an unholy nightmare.
Why I believe this is almost entirely empirical because of the number of intermediate, re-requited "newbie believers" that have passed by me.. on their way to "God's Will be Done on Earth as 'tis in Heaven"... no?
I will have to get back to you on some of this,, and I wonder why this subject also makes me loquacious, anxious and peeved... and feeling unsmart, while unrequited?
My Father's Day this year was magnaminous the best yet. How did you know?
Your Palikir,
PDnF
ps. I am very touched at this news of how you never really knew your mother... it shocked me a little.
Have read your reply twice so far, and to 'fully process' it all may require a few more times! But...I'm focusing on "I wonder why this subject also makes me loquacious, anxious and peeved... and feeling unsmart..."
Other subjects have made you loquacious, too, though...I mean, you have alot of thoughts about it...shows depth, intelligence & awareness. So that eliminates 'usmart' right there, knocks it right outta the ball park!
Now, those other two - hmmm...maybe the anxiety is a fear of revealing too much? If there's a doubt that the other person (in this case, me!) might not understand, relate, care, etc? Jesus said not to cast our pearls, ya know...we don't want them or ourselves to be trampled upon & torn! And, this IS the web, you are exposing your thoughts not just to me...? Others might judge, etc. Deep calleth unto deep, and there's a whole lot of shallow goin' on in cyberspace!
So maybe you really don't want to be revealing what or all that you are? And are teed-off at yourself for doing it anyway?
I always remind myself that I'm the one choosing. It really helps me to open up or shut down, realizing that I'm in control. (here on-line, I mean. Other places, not so much!)
The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet.
Perhaps I've mentioned or you've deduced that I don't have children, and you're thinkin', I wouldn't have a base of comparison? Or frame of reference? But I find this fascinating.
"shape shifter children" - what a fabulous description! Who has ever used or coined a term like that? Only Odo and his people! (Deep Space 9?)
Star Trek Voyager?
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