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January 17, 2007
Happy Birthday, Ben
Today would be Ben Franklin's 301st birthday.
He is a man I have long admired even though the man was a rascal with the ladies and in my way of thinking abandoned his wife, Deborah, while traveling to England and also enjoying the salons of France. (While Ben was gone, poor Deb, got out the shotgun to keep the redcoats from burning down her house. Now that is a good wife!)
About two years ago, just as an experiment in writing, spiritual discipline, and character building, I did some private journaling on Ben's 13 virtues. He scheduled each to practice once a week, and so did I. Hopefully I will gather the courage to share some of those pages. However, it is so much easier to copy and paste a joke from a friend's email and present that as the daily Chatta Mom blog offering. I hesitate to share because I doubt that will interest anyone, especially me. Boring.
So let me offer his plan of thirteen virtues which he scheduled to practice each for once a week for the rest of his life.
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Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of thirteen virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. His autobiography lists his thirteen virtues as:
"TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."
"SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
"ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time."
"RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
"FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing."
"INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
"SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
"JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
"MODERATION. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
"CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation."
"TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
"CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation."
"HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates."
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<3 Mom Love ~ Omie
Good Story | By Omie | 06:32 PM