hosting a virtues feast
Living in the "muddled middle," I must find ways to live out my faith in a diverse world (Corbitt, 2011). Contemporary society and my faith community influence the values that shape my beliefs and how I live my life. Virtues are positive behaviors or traits that express one's values. Virtues such as creativity, gentleness, and thankfulness motivate my actions and allow me to express my beliefs and live out my values.
I hosted a Virtues Feast with two close friends, Rebecca and Brandon (a few friends could not make it to the Virtues Feast due to last minute scheduling conflicts). Since our party was small, I decided that we would take turns portraying two virtues each. We took time before the meal started to look over the Virtues List and read the definitions of the collection of virtues (Virtues List, n.d.). Rather than assigning Rebecca and Brandon virtues to act out, I let them choose which ones they wanted to embody.
I hosted a Virtues Feast with two close friends, Rebecca and Brandon (a few friends could not make it to the Virtues Feast due to last minute scheduling conflicts). Since our party was small, I decided that we would take turns portraying two virtues each. We took time before the meal started to look over the Virtues List and read the definitions of the collection of virtues (Virtues List, n.d.). Rather than assigning Rebecca and Brandon virtues to act out, I let them choose which ones they wanted to embody.
Virtues demonstrated by Brandon:
- CLEANLINESS: the practice of keeping yourself and your surroundings clean (Complements: orderliness, purity. Transcends: dirtiness.)
- ASSERTIVENESS: disposed to or characterized by bold or confident statements and behavior (Complements: confidence, courage. Transcends: self-doubt, shyness.)
Virtues demonstrated by Rebecca:
- HONESTY: the quality of being fair and truthful (Complements: integrity, truthfulness. Transcends: deceitfulness.)
- GENEROSITY: the quality of being generous, kind, understanding and not selfish (Complements: kindness, service. Transcends: stinginess, self-centeredness.)
Virtues I demonstrated:
- CONTENTMENT: the state of being happy and satisfied (Complements: fulfillment, joy. Transcends: dissatisfaction, restlessness.)
- GRATITUDE: a feeling of appreciation or thanks (Complements: hope, joy, peace. Transcends: disappointment, pain.)
This was a fun assignment and we all greatly enjoyed acting out our virtues. I asked Brandon and Rebecca what they most enjoyed about the experience and they both agreed that they enjoyed acting out the virtues in an exaggerated way. Before we feasted, they looked over the Virtues List and picked the virtues that they wanted to embody during the feast. I inquired as to why they chose their particular virtues and they said that they made their selection based on the virtues that they already have instilled within them. This virtues activity helped all of us realize our personal strengths. If we were to have another virtues feast, I think it would be interesting to be randomly assigned a virtue, or have the participants choose a virtue that they do not easily identify within themselves as a strength.
REFERENCES
Corbitt, J. N. (2011, November 4). Working and Learning in the Muddled Middle. Not So Random Thoughts on Artful Living. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from http://jnathancorbitt.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/working-and-learning-in-the-muddled-middle/
Virtues List - Virtues for Life. (n.d.). Virtues for Life. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://www.virtuesforlife.com/virtues-list/
Corbitt, J. N. (2011, November 4). Working and Learning in the Muddled Middle. Not So Random Thoughts on Artful Living. Retrieved July 3, 2014, from http://jnathancorbitt.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/working-and-learning-in-the-muddled-middle/
Virtues List - Virtues for Life. (n.d.). Virtues for Life. Retrieved July 18, 2014, from http://www.virtuesforlife.com/virtues-list/