Dahl Dreams

Not too many people are aware that Benjamin Franklin wrote down 13 personal values in a little black book that he carried with him.  Also within this little black book he kept his goals and ideas.  But it is to these 13 values or virtues that Ben Franklin evaluated his life.  He believed them to be essential for day to day living and for growing as a human being.  He had a page dedicated to each value and he would evaluate his himself daily to these values.  He would also focus on one of them each week.  I should also mention that he wasn’t always successful.  Occasionally he would fall short.  But then again… he was only human.

Remember, if you think this is a good idea, that these are his values.  Yours may be different but they could be the same.  After all, he did pick some tasty values:

Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

“Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.”

– Benjamin Franklin

This thought still applies today.  Nor do I ever think that it will diminish.

– D²

All human situations have their inconveniences.  We feel those of the present but neither see  nor feel those of the future; and hence we often make troublesome changes without amendment, and frequently for the worse.

– Benjamin Franklin

Wise words that apply more today than ever.  Our elected officials should heed them.

– D²