The Seventh Deadly Sin

Aww, the last sin? Just when I was getting back into the swing of things. It seems as though this project has been with me so long, it almost makes me sad to see it come to an end. I have been through many transformations these last few months, both good and bad, and still I was able to return to finish what I had started. That’s a good feeling. Satisfying. So, with that, I bring you the seventh and final deadly sin. I hope you have enjoyed them even half as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Sloth

Now this is an interesting sin in view of modern society. Some of these sins, especially this one, seem to have become so commonplace as to seem routine, the norm. Everyone these days seems to be out for the easy money, the big bucks coming in for not much effort given out. The infomercials claiming “10 hours of work a week equals $14,000 a week in income” or some such crazy nonsense. Just give THEM $250, and they’ll show you how. Things come in the mail, too. Work at home, get crazy money for only a few hours work, blah blah blah. Does anyone REALLY believe that hogwash? Or is it all some crazy pipe dream that we have conned ourselves into believing? That if we can just find the right combination of little work and big bucks, we will finally make it?
And what about the increase in drug dealing, gambling, daring stock investments. All designed to make easy money. Not to mention that when things go wrong, it’s not “MY” fault. No one wants to take responsibility. We see it constantly in the news. This person or that person accused of some crime claims that it wasn’t their fault, they were crazy, they were abused, they were coerced, the devil made them do it. OK, I am not saying there aren’t genuine cases where these things could happen. But, come on. It’s really getting ridiculous. Where are the work ethics? The responsibility? The pride in accomplishment? Our kids today barely get a chance to BE proud of things they accomplish, because it’s all about praising them for every little thing, never allowing them to feel bad, even when that bad feeling is the key to helping them grow to another level. So, we are becoming an entire society of people who don’t know what it is to feel bad about anything, so when they grow up and discover it, they don’t know how to handle it, what to do with it. Their “self-esteem” has mutated into an arrogance that says that they are the only one who matters, they are the best, and forget about anyone or anything else in the way of their getting what they want to make them happy. The intentions, I think, were good, but the end result has become almost frighteningly sad.
Whoa, what a soap box, huh? In my own life, for the most part, I have loved to work, to accomplish goals, to do things with myself and my life. The main times I have noticed myself slipping into some semblance of sloth is during a depressive episode. Then, sometimes I am not so sure if it is necessarily sloth, as in purposefully avoiding doing things, or just a result of being so deeply depressed that I am UNABLE to do those things. The last year or so in my old place, I was really beginning to wonder if I WAS the lazy, useless person he always made me believe I was. But since I have been in my own place again, I have been making the phone calls I need to make, going where I need to go, cleaning the house every day, I am more able to calmly handle the boys, I am even looking forward to doing something more, whether it is school or work, with a LITTLE less fear that I will end up looking like a complete fool and fall on my face. But the most important thing for me is that I am taking responsibility for myself and my actions and my LIFE. And people embroiled in a slothful lifestyle cannot even comprehend these simple pleasures of being alive.
I wish I had answers on how to reverse the trend of wanting something for nothing. But, growing up as an 80’s child myself, I still struggle with the desire for just that, and if I could find it, I would honestly probably jump at the chance. But, for now, I know that the answer, for me, is to work hard and be a good example for my kids, and let them fall on their face every so often, but always be there to pick up their pieces. Because loving someone, or even working with someone, isn’t about always making that person feel good. Loving someone means being there for them no matter what, and being willing to WORK at the relationship, so that no matter what problems arise, they can always be handled.