Character and Virtue

I've been an emotional wreak for the past few days. Trying to assimilate the move to Houston, and all the changes that it entails. As such I've been thinking a lot about my character and how it contrasts with others. Both the strength and weaknesses that I perceive in myself, and recognizing the possibilities others do not, and those reasons why.

As I was searching around I came across an essay about Three Virtues of the Heart. Namely, Kindheartedness, Lightheartedness, and Warmheartedness. These being different from the three theological virtures of faith, hope, or charity (agape/love) and the four cardinal virtues of wisdom/prudence, justice, moderation/temperance, and courage. Here's the link to the essay by Donald DeMarco, PhD (Note: I'm not catholic; but I found the article informative).

I was thinking about my character as described by my virtues and my vices. And areas that I could make improvement, or areas that I shine.

I think in these virtues of the heart, I do truly shine. I'm told that I create comfort in those around me; I'm always accused of being in to much touch with my inner child; and I really think I've got the practice of random acts of kindness down to a personal artform.

However, that being said, there are elements of my character that are lacking, and could use improvement. Whether they have become so far removed that they are vices I can't say. I have great faith in others, and in the universe and it's systems, I often lack the faith in myself to do or try things. Hope, well, I tell people you have to practice hope - otherwise, how can you accumulate bitterness. Seriously though, again I tend to be more hopeful for others, feeling more an impending sense of overwhelming doom when considering my life. In so far as Charity, again more for others, less for myself.

The catholic perspective on virtue, while interesting, is going to be self-limiting for my purposes, so I expanded out my search and I found a table of Aristotle's Nicomachaen Ethics that pretty much sums up a spectrum of virtue & vice. This exercise was an interesting revist to my Philosophy of Ethic's class I took at the University of Arizona more than 15 years ago with Dr. Kit Wellman. Aristotle, Hume, Kant, and others - which I still have the books for. They are in a rubbermaid container in Houston in the garage now. Not so handy as I'm back in San Diego for the time being and don't have access to my references.

The table above wasn't as complete as I was looking for, but he wiki entry is a bit nicer & more informative.

As broken hearted as I've felt the last few days, overwhelmed by the uncertainties that surround so many aspects of my life, as well as the realizations that my expectations and assumptions about some things were wrong or misguided, I found some solace looking through this. I still have to reconcile those errors, which will not be anything short of gut renchingly painful I'm sure. Still, I wonder if everyone contemplated their character and their virtues and their vices more often, would we act the way we do to each other?