81. Virtuous Expression

Thunder


Mountain

Artwork by:

Meg Vellejos-McCoy at innerlifecreations.com.

Day 349 of 2021 and Day 2205 of her Daily Painting Practice.

What is your process for ensuring virtuous self-expression?

What is virtue, anyway? It is behavior showing high moral standards.

While teaching ethics a few years ago, a student in my class was answering a question I asked: “To what do you attribute the increase in political protests against systemic racism?” His answer was: “Certain classes of people not knowing their place in society.”

His answer was earnest, not belligerently delivered. He was maybe 18 years old and this was what he was raised to think. He didn’t even realize the effect of his words on the people of color in our class. I paused for a long time to search for my response in that pivotal moment. I asked, “Would you give us an example of what you mean?” I moved from the front of the room to the side and stood behind two students of color so the person answering would look at me to answer, while also seeing the people about whom he was speaking. He opened his mouth to answer and it dawned on him — we could see it in his face — that his answer was rife with bigotry. He blushed and said he preferred to think about it.

Good answer.

I chose the virtue of compassion to deliver that teaching, knowing that shaming the young man was not the right approach.

When deciding what is moral and what is virtuous, I don’t just look to societal or religious standards, I look to my heart. I listen to my Allies and I consider the effect that my choices have on not just me but on all concerned.

This is the starting point of my process for ensuring my own self-expression is virtuous.