I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.

Theodore Roosevelt

As I was perusing all of the offerings on my many streaming services, I came across the movie Seven, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. The first time I saw that movie, I was on a business trip, alone in a hotel room. I’m pretty sure that’s the only time I ever rented a movie in a hotel room. Heaven only knows why I chose to rent a horror movie, something I don’t generally watch. The movie is about a psycho serial killer who kills people who are grotesque examples of the seven deadly sins. I try not to think about the minds of people who come up with these dreadful ideas. Needless to say, I was terrified throughout the entire movie, but not terrified enough to stop watching because BRAD PITT IN 1995.

Seeing that movie title again, of course, made me think about the seven deadly sins of pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. I probably perform one or more of these deadly sins every day. I’m not bragging. I wish instead that I was saying I probably do something every day that makes someone’s life better.

Some of the sins are harder to resist than others, at least for me. I think of all the times I get up from a meal and am uncomfortably full. “That’s a sin,” I’ll think to myself. Yep. The sin of gluttony. Or, my house is in desperate need of cleaning, but I’d rather watch a Christmas movie. Another sin. Sloth is not just a cartoon character.

Every day, when I sign onto my WordPress program, it asks me a question. It’s one of the new features, and it’s one that I kind of like. I think it’s designed to give me ideas of what to write. The other day, the question was who do you envy. I really gave it a lot of thought. I am no saint, but I don’t think I’m guilty of a lot of envy. I don’t envy people with more money or larger houses. While I often say (and believe) that aging is humbling, I don’t look at Milennials or Gen X-ers and wish I was young again. I am pretty comfortable with my age. I have been blessed with lots of travel opportunities, so while I’m happy for people who travel, I don’t feel sorry for myself that I don’t. I like being at home.

Before I get injured patting myself on the back, maybe I need to remind myself how lucky I have been in my life. Perhaps if I had to choose between paying my heating bill or buying ground beef for my Hamburger Helper, I would be more envious of people who live in big houses and drive fancy cars. Maybe when I’m really old and sitting in a wheelchair, I won’t be so glib about aging.

In the meantime, I am going to stop looking at the seven deadly sins and concentrate on the seven virtues that contrast the seven sins: chastity, temperence, charity, diligence, kindness, patience, and humility.