Virtues, Vices, and You

We all have certain traits or physical "imperfections" about ourselves we don't like and recognize them as part of who we are as a person to justify their existence. I for one acknowledge that I'm loud and extremely talkative, I have a faulty thought-to-speech filter, and I'm not as fit or tall as I'd like to be.

Acknowledging these so called "Negative Aspects," I personally find, creates some what of a humbled state of consciousness, where at the very least I don't overdo my confidence and, if you could excuse my wording, make a total ass of myself, which I like to tell myself is a fair assessment.

But sometimes, I find myself focusing too much on the bad that I don't seem to appreciate the good qualities in me to balance out my acknowledgement of my negative aspects. For example: loud and talkative can be seen as annoying, no thought-to-speech filter sometimes makes me come off as a rude and heartless and can get me in trouble, and not being as tall or muscular as I'd like to be means people rarely take a second glance. It's a practice I've became accustomed to, this over acceptance of my self proclaimed negatives, and unfortunately I see it happening all around me, with almost everyone I meet.

I forget that the reason why I'm loud is because I like to laugh a lot, which gets infectious given my talkative nature, and oddly enough, makes the most introverted guy at work want to join in with the fun. And despite my lack of thought-to-speech filter, I help my peers deal with a not so comfortable truth that will allow them to change for the better, rather than having them run around believing a lie that will hurt them more than constructive criticism. And though I'm no where near as fit and muscular as I would like to be, nor as tall as I want to be, I'm alive, healthy and, to put a twist on a well known proverb, may not have muscular arms, I find myself thankful I can count myself amongst those who are born with them.

It's so easy to fall victim to our own insecurities, the recognition of our bad attributes, that it fogs the ability to pay tribute to our well intentions and aspects.

Why can't we see that? Why do we have sight of our vices yet remain totally blinded to our virtues?

We sin, yes, but we also saint. Evil is a part of us, but not all of us. We have Yin and Yang, Light and Dark inside of us.

It truly is the acknowledgement of both, where you'll find the necessary balance for you to thrive. For you are like a guitar; if your strings are too tight or too loose, you will be out of tune. But if you find balance, and tune yourself just right, your fingers will play nothing but the most sweetest sonatas the world will hear.

I liken you, dear reader, to a rose; though it is unwise to forget your thorns, it is equally unwise to forget you are a flower, one of the most beautiful and sought after in the world, that the sight of you can bring tears to the eyes of whom you are gifted to.

In fact the duality of your vices and virtues may condescend, but in reality brings harmony to the masses. The sun shines heavily which can result in dry spells from time to time, but it is with that light of the sun from which it shines that plants find their nutrients and are able to grow. The rain may dampen your want to go out for the evening, but from it the flow of water may run down your skin, and in silent meditation and reflection on the symbology of it, may indeed nourish and cleanse your soul.

If God sayeth we are born sinners, we must take the necessary actions to ensure our sainthood.

So I beg of you; do not be so consumed by the badness that at most half of your being; by doing so you can forget the goodness that is the other half, and the human beauty that is the whole of you.