Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice

I'm just out from a Mason's meeting. It was held on Zoom. It was lovely to see everybody's faces. It was great to listen to what people were up to. Thankfully, nobody was complaining about having to wear a mask when you're out of your house from midnight tonight. Saying that, half the people on the call are over seventy and the the reasoning and want to stay safe.

Me, I just want to stay safe and not get fined. It's not that hard to cover your mouth and nose.

Anyway, tonight we had a discussion about the four Cardinal Virtues - Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence and Justice.

See the source image

It was a robust discussion - a very pleasant discussion.

But I felt a bit removed.

I look at these and I think yeah.

Image result for the four virtues

Prudence - I do prudence. I try and discern the best course of action through things. I keep council, save money, look after my health and try to do things for the betterment of myself and others.

Temperance - yeah, I do that too. I'm pretty mild mannered. I keep my vices in check. My drinking is minimal, and though I do have hedonistic tendencies, I keep them in check - okay maybe not my book addiction, but we all have something.

Fortitude I'm doing okay with. Everybody's doing it a bit tough at the moment, but I feel like I'm soldiering on, and doing it okay. I've got my coping techniques and strategies in place, meetings online to go to, a twice weekly meeting with my trainer and friend in the park (did my first training session with a mask on - I wear the disposable ones training - they get mucky, but any port in a storm - you throw them out at the end of the session). This is fortitude - just keep swimming. I've also been at this computer, working solidly since 8 am. This takes a bit of fortitude too.

So, yeah, though not perfect, I like to think I practice what I preach for these.

The one I'm having trouble with at the moment is Justice.

On any other given day I'd try and say that I like to think that I'm fair and transparent - to give "what is due to God and then neighbour" as it says in the meme above.

But during the meeting word came in. On an already bad cancer day, notice that a friend's granddaughter had come out of surgery to remove a brain tumour. The tomour couldn't be removed.

I suppose I feel these cancer diagnoses and prognoses more because of what happened to my niece. She died from leukaemia after the medical profession threw everything they could at it. It was horrible and cruel and nasty, and my darling niece, never complained.

This child is four. She's already had a couple of rounds of brain surgery and chemo. The tumour has now come back and it is inoperable, Today they opened her up, had a look and closed her. My friend's family get to take their child home to recover from the surgery and " live each day to the full and fill them with laughter and love, rainbows and unicorns." They also thanked the doctors for choosing quality of life over irreparable damage.

My heart is going out to them at the moment. It's not an easy road ahead.

But I am trying to see just where the hell the justice is in this situation. It's every parent's nightmare. I've watched as my family has lived this and it stirs up many, very raw emotions

I can only send my love to my friends. I can't fathom what they must be feeling. The child, from what my Mum tells me, is a force of nature.

But I can see no justice. There is no justice here.

It just sucks.

Today's Song:


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