The Seven Cardinal Virtues
December10 2010

The holiday season is always stressful for me. Even when I have presents bought and paid for by the first of December, as I did this year.  It seems like the energy of my world ramps up as December progresses toward solstice. I struggle to keep up with it, and become uncentered.

While wrapping presents on this snowy Sunday I came across this quote from All Facts Considered: The Essential Library of Inessential Knowledge, by Kee Malesky, head librarian for National Public Radio. It’s a good book. I bought it for my husband and took the occasion of wrapping to glance through it.

On page 93 I found a salve for holiday anxiety.
Here it is.

“Perhaps less well known than the seven deadly sins are the seven cardinal virtues. Here they are, paired with their respective sins:

            Humility opposes pride

            Generosity opposes covetousness

            Chastity opposes lust

            Meekness opposes anger

            Temperance opposes gluttony

            Brotherly love opposes envy

            Diligence opposes sloth”

            I hope it helps you as much as it helped me.

            Please try to have a merry holiday season.

            I am. 

From the book All Facts Considered, pg. 93; Wiley, 2010

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