When I hear the word temperance many things come to mind: moderation, The Temperance Movement, and to avoid extremes in behavior. But what does Franklin mean when he states this as a virtue? He gives us a small clue in his autobiography, where he states roughly, don't eat so much that you are dull and don't drink so much that you are high. It is therefore that I am led to believe Franklin is stating a virtuous or morally excellent life includes moderating the extremes in our behavior. I'd suggest that this is more of a general rule than a never. So don't fret, I believe we can still live a virtuous life and over indulge once a year at Thanksgiving dinner.
I've found over the years that if I am fully immersed in a project the rest of my life can easily become out of focus. It is only with deliberate restraint, composure, and planning that I am able to remain balanced. And even when I'm not on overdrive, but just trying to keep up with life, I can also stumble and lose balance
Where have you lost balance? Have you:
- Bought too much
- Said too much
- Worried too much
- Worked too much
- Played too much
- Drank too much
- Eaten too little
- Eaten too much
- Exercised too much
- Exercised too little
- Avoided the necessary
Do any of these resonate with you...?
Take Action Challenge:
Let's reclaim our balance. Your weekly workout is to look deep and uncover where you're hiding. Let's not make excuses. Take one of these (or your own) and exercise self control and restraint over the next week. A little planning, forethought, and composure and we'll all be living a tempered existence.
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