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, it signifies a habit super-added to a faculty of the soul, disposing it to elicit with readiness acts conformable to our rational nature." (June 9, 2009; HERE)
Tornado Proofing our Family Structures with Virtue
by Pat Darnell
Families are proving ground for young ones learning virtues, simply by providing opposites of virtues. 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 besides in a family of siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. 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 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? Tornadoes will come in whirlwinds of family life, expect them.
Sure, one can read virtue in Shakespeare, or listen to music describe virtue in the remnants of life -- life as work, life as eating, life as sleeping, as history -- birth and death. It turns out, 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 siblings.... right?
You bet that is right. By age five, supposedly, a child may have locked in what her personality will be. It has to do with birth order, genetic arrangements and the condition of her 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. Not even the first five years of 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 their universe. As "beings" not of our world, Virtue is born there, in the secret language of infants.
I realize this is a monster assumption, on many levels, and therefore looks like a conspiracy. My frame of reference comes from observation of our six children. I sincerely hope our men-children and women-children transcend my assumption, and prove someday where virtue really does spawn. I only ask that some how we at last apply -- continually -- virtues, for which there is no law against, in our lives as family members. I know in my heart there is plenty room for improvement in all resolve of stormy times amongst family people.
There can be no harm in exploring possibilities of tornado proofing our domiciles 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?
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