With this column we bring to a close the series of seven cardinal virtues composed of three theological virtues (Faith, Hope and Love) and four classic virtues (Wisdom, Justice, Courage and Equilibrium).
According to the New Testament (which appears not to agree very much with this particular virtue): These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Apocalypse 3: 14-16)
In a Zen story: A fervent Buddhist lady made every effort to love others. But every time she went to the market, a merchant made indecent proposals to her.
One rainy morning, when the man bothered her once again, she lost control and hit him on the face with her umbrella. That same afternoon, she sought out a monk and told him what had happened.
“I am ashamed,” she said. “I couldn’t control my hate.”
“You did wrong to hate him,” answered the monk. “The next time he says something, fill your heart with goodness. And hit him again with your umbrella, because that’s the only language he knows.”
On the Jewish Day of Pardon: On the day of Yom Kippur, Rabbi Elimelekh of Lisensk took his disciples to a bricklayer’s workshop. “Notice how this man behaves,” he said. “Because he manages to communicate well with the Lord.”
Without noticing that he was being observed, the bricklayer ended his work and went to the window. He took two pieces of paper from his pocket and raised them to the sky, saying:
“Lord, on one paper I have written the list of my sins. I have erred and there is no reason for me to hide that I offended You several times. But on the other paper is the list of Your sins towards me. You have demanded of me more than what is necessary, brought me difficult moments, and made me suffer. If we compare the two lists, You are in debt towards me. But since today is the Day of Pardon, You pardon me, I pardon You, and we shall continue on our path together for another year.”
In an Islam story: Muhammad ib Suqah tells the story of Abddulah and Mansur, two faithful Moslems. One day, Abddulah asked his friend for help.
Time passed by, and no help was given. One day, Mansur asked: “My brother, you asked me for help and I did nothing. Nevertheless, this does not seem to bother you.”
“We have been friends for a long time. I learned to love you before I needed a favor,” answered Abddulah. “And I still go on loving you, whether you help me or not.”
Mansur answered: “I did not help you because I wanted to know how strong your desire was. Now I have seen that it stronger than discord and hate; tomorrow you will have what you asked for.”
AND TO END THIS SERIES WITH A LITTLE HUMOR…
According to an older couple: The two are having breakfast on their Golden Anniversary. The woman spreads butter on the crispy crust of toast and hands it to her husband, keeping the soft dough to herself. “I have always wanted to eat the best part,” she thought to herself. “But I love you, and for these fifty years I have tried to control myself and gave you the dough. Today I would like to satisfy my desire.”
To her surprise, her husband’s face opened in a big smile. “Thank you for this present! For fifty years I have always wanted to eat the bread crust. But in order to keep harmony in our marriage, since you always liked it so much, I never dared ask you.”
According to a younger couple: For Christmas, the husband receives two beautiful neckties from his wife. Feeling satisfied, he puts on his best suit, chooses one of his new ties and invites his wife out to dinner. While they eat, he notices that his wife seems very sad.
“My dear, I feel anxious and confused,” she says after a long silence. “Why are you wearing that tie? Didn’t you like the other?”
Dear Paulo,
First I’d like to say that the last cardinal virtue is the most difficult to understand. All my lifetime I tried to avoid the bad behaving and make as much good as possible, but as much as u live you see that even those which we think are good acts in fact they aren’t.
In such cases we use the only thing, that we think it is needed, or logic, what we was told, what we had learned, even though somewhere deep inside us we know that we have another voice to hear, that it would help us better.
Sometimes it is our own intuition, sometimes a sign, others an angel, who knows? You can even make confusion with them or think that they might be the evil, because they try to satisfy your own desires.
You have given there above 5 different examples about how real equilibrium is like.
WE HAVE IT INSIDE US BUT WE DON’T DEAR TO USE IT, BECAUSE IN OUR HEAD WE START THINKING THAT THAT IT IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND SO WE END UP MAKING ANOTHER MISTAKE. IF WE ALL WOULD POSSES THIS EQUILIBRIUM, AS START IT WOULD BE NO NEED TO SAY “I M SORRY!”
Every time I don’t listen to my intuition and do what I THINK it is the right thing instead of doing what I FEEL I should be doing, I feel very sorry.
Let me tell a kind of story of mine.
Since I know that I can find God and his answers wherever I m looking at or hearing at etc. I use this technique everywhere.
Those last weeks I’ve been staring at the sky when it is cloudy.
The vision I have is one left eye almost perfect but who looks down to earth with a direction from up left to down right, staring at the church, which by the way is close to my house.
I just couldn’t understand what he was trying to tell me, but I knew that one day he would tell me in one way.
Last week I went to Paris and I entered in a Catholic church to visit it. It was la basilique “Le sacre Coeur”.
During the time that the others were visiting the place, my mother invited me to pray together, but I couldn’t concentrate an I was staring at the picture of Jesus in front of me.
Suddenly I started to feel a bit sad, and I knew why. It was a sign. I continued to stare at Jesus and his opened arms didn’t look in the right position to me.
The left one looked like it was rising a bit higher from its position, and the right one was going down every time Jesus seemed to turn his face to the right one. But when his face turned in the right place, when he was just looking ahead, his arms turned at the right position, in equilibrium, and his golden heart was shining.
I knew there how I should act to find real equilibrium. That was my answer to all those little signs in the sky. The direction they was looking at it was the same of Jesus arms.
I think the message he gave to me it was :
DO WHAT YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD BE DOING AND NOT WHAT YOU THINK YOU SHOULD.
Even though I m not pretty sure yet. Maybe there might be some other detail to understand but I m sure I’ll find out one day.
As for now it is still fear who will make life difficult to me.
Fear that my heart it is not “golden” enough as to be followed, but maybe even that is a mistake. I’ll find it out, anyway.
By the way I liked very much the first story, the one about the Buddhist lady. The advice of the monk. I guess a parent has to act that way, and God too.
Love Olta
Bravo! Bravo! Bravissimo!!! For you Paulo and for your “team” working in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil! That’s what we need to do!
You are a example to be followed by other people. We always have something that we can give or that we can share, even if it’s just our time. You help with your money, that’s a priceless help. But I truly agree that everybody can do something for others in need too. We just need to think a little more and discover how can we also make it. We are a brotherhood and we need to understand that. We need each other to make this world a better place to live. For all, really really for all the people around the world.
“Nobody is an island, as John Donne said once.” like you again so wisely said.
So again, I have just one thing to say to you: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, PAULO!!! My brazilian heart is in heaven with this news!
With lots of Gratitude, a deep Respect and a big Love!
Marta :)