Topic: What virtues do you value in yourself?
As I mentioned before, I do NOT like tooting my own horn, mostly because it makes me uncomfortable, and it drives me batty to listen to other people toot theirs. So, I've been putting this blog topic off...but I guess I'll give it a shot.
I would say that my compassion is probably my best virtue. As a wife, I try to think about what would make my husband happy, and how I could brighten his day. Since we are both teachers, I try to listen to and understand his days at work, offer advice (if he's interested-ha!), and sympathy because I can totally relate. Whether or not this is good for our marriage, I'm still on the fence. Everyone says "leave your job at work, don't bring it home with you..." but sometimes I think it helps us to vent to each other because we can sympathize.
As a teacher, I feel that compassion is an essential element to being a "good" teacher. Even when I'm in the most rotten of moods, I try to remember that these sweet babies just need some love and someone to listen. I try to remember that they are only 8, 9, and 10 years old, and still have a lot of lessons to learn. I try to model compassion for them, because one thing this world needs is a few more compassionate souls. Some days, finding compassion at work is more difficult than other days, but I think it's always extremely important.
As a friend, I always try to consider what I think is most important in my friends, and act the same way. I think I learned the adage "Treat others as you'd want to be treated" in my early Sunday School years, and try to stick to it even today.
My compassion towards animals is borderline ridiculous. I have such a soft spot for any animal--I cannot even go to the Humane Society without crying like a baby. My heart literally aches for unclaimed, lost, or mistreated animals. Every single day, I go to this website (it's saved on my home computer--will have to link it later) and click to donate food to animal shelters. And don't even get me started on the Sarah McLaughlin ASPCA or the Pedigree commercials. I even get teary at the bank commercial where the dog dreams of losing his bone to that Ray LaMontagne song. Like I said, ridiculous. Compassion to a fault, almost.
And as a new mother, I'm learning a whole new realm of compassion. How frustrating it must be to want to communicate, but not have the words or vocabulary to do so. And to be completely dependent on someone else to do everything for you--EVERYTHING--requires a great deal of compassion on my part. So even when I'm beyond exhausted, stressed, etc...I have to remember that this little angel depends on me, and I would do anything to see that smile.
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