The Write or Die Wednesday prompt asks: Which of the Seven Deadly Sins are you most guilty of?

The Seven Deadly Sins is an old Christian belief that classified the natural sins.  I'm not religious, and therefore, won't go much farther into that, but I find the entire idea of the seven sins to be fascinating.

Wrath
Greed
Lust
Gluttony
Sloth
Envy
Pride

These sins all clearly have something in common.  They involve putting yourself before others.  We should not want what others have or think ourselves better than others.  We should not be too angry or too lustful.

And if you really look at these sins, the antithesis of each is a trait of a good virtuous person.
Patient
Generous
Chaste
Moderation
Hard working
Kind
Humble

And these are all great traits.  There was a time when eating more than you needed to meant you were letting others starve, and well, that was a serious issue.  And now, it just means high cholesterol and tight pants.

No one's perfect, right?

So, the question is…which trait do I most embody?  And the answer is naturally, all of them.  Because I think it's okay to have some vices here and there.

At times, I do get so angry.  When my 4-year old just will not for the love of God put on his shoes and would rather scream and cry on the floor and demand a cookie before breakfast, yes.  Wrath.
But with every tantrum, I learn patience.

At times, I do get greedy.  Sometimes I just want MINE.  But that's usually because I'm constantly doing for others, volunteering my time, bathing/dressing/feeding/loving children.
But I'm learning to balance and know that sometimes it's okay to put myself first.

At times, I do lust…ahem.  Enough about that.

At times, I indulge.  No one is starving because I have another piece of cake, glass of wine, slice of cheese.  But moderation is my lesson to learn.  Especially after turning 30 and having kids.  Moderation is an important lesson.

At times, I can be lazy.  But like greed, I find  balance.  I work hard.  I deserve to relax.

At times, I do envy others.  As a mother, it's almost impossible these days.  She has more patience, a cleaner house, nicer furniture, and the list goes on.  But the things I have are things that others may be envious of me for.  The grass is always greener, and the antithesis of envy is probably gratitude more than anything.

And lastly, there are times that I am proud.  But sadly, this one is probably the most rare.  I think I could actually do with a little more pride than I exhibit now.  I should be proud.  I've accomplished a lot, and I do well for my children and community.  I should be more proud, but it's all those other things…envy, wrath, sloth and glutton that get in the way.  Not having pride should be a sin.

But still, with every smile on my kiddo's face, and yoga class I teach, and chapter I revise, I remind myself that I'm doing pretty darn well and that it's okay to be a little proud.



So, there you have it.  Thank you again to the duo, Vashelle and Mia, for another great Write or Die Wednesday prompt.  To see more posts on this topic, or to link up yourself, check it out here:


Write or Die Wednesdays