This post has required the strongest practice of temperance from me this cycle because of how my blood begins to boil each time I dig deeper into the dreadful details. Today, I mourn for the victims of recent, senseless, and intemperate attacks – the New Year’s Day atrocity in New Orleans as well as the Christmas market horror in Germany only days before the actual holiday. These two insurgent individuals, who I will not even name here, both committed the worst action imaginable. Why ever take the life of another?
Temperance is moderation in the things that are good and total abstinence from the things that are foul.
-Frances E. Willard
What true god asks for the willful and random killing of innocents? God says to not kill, so what makes these actions acceptable? Nothing. Nothing at all makes these angered and irrational actions acceptable. Temperance exited the equation. Extremist groups are some of the most excessively intemperate entities to exist. Frankly, they feel inhumane.
Take care not to feel towards the inhuman, as they feel towards men.
-Marcus Aurelius
How can we balance out these drastic extremes? How can we restore temperance across the board? We can be too cold, and we can be too hot. Living at one end or the other for too long will increase the likelihood of similar catastrophes. What if we increase our own awareness for how often we incite such incendiary ideas? What if we begin to better control our own thoughts and actions in order to improve our own lives as well as the lives of all of those around us? I firmly believe, wholeheartedly, that we have no need to ever use our weapons (guns, cars, etc.) for an unspeakable and possibly-unforgivable act.
Their final judgment awaits beyond, but I fear for their safety and well-being in their next life. I will temper those thoughts by bringing my empathy back to those who deserve it so much more- the families and loved ones of the victims who are all now reeling from recent events. May each of you find solace in knowing that justice will be served. May you eventually even out from an extreme that you may be feeling currently. More wrongs will not make anything right. Let us each shine a light on our internal fight to find and fuel our own temperance as best as we can. I believe in a better world, a freer and fairer one, where we can fear each other less and love one another more. It is why I write, and it is why I refuse to ever give up. I will forever strive for best success as temperately as I can.
Temperance to be a virtue must be free,
-C.A. Bartol
and not forced.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.