Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

After some thought on it, I have decided that the ‘higher virtues’ of Love, Justice and Wisdom should be incorporated into my journaling.  I will start this next week.  Love will become the higher virtue under Foundation Virtues; Justice will be the higher virtue under Business and Wisdom will be the higher virtue under Self. Mainly these higher virtues provide the bigger picture when it comes to virtue.

I am not going to define these until I get to each journal post that first incorporates them.  Mostly I need to come up with the definitions and that’s going to require some meditation time.

Mostly though Love becomes expressed to me in the virtues of Honor, Courage and Truth.  Justice is Expressed in Self-Reliance, Industriousness and Hospitality.  Wisdom is found in Discipline, Perseverance and Fidelity. I will discuss this more as I go through the journal posts the next week.

Discipline:

“Discipline is the willingness to be hard on oneself first and then if needed help with the development with others, so that greater purposes may be achieved.”

Principle: Apply discipline to every aspect of life that it can be applied.

I am actually on the cusp of having to engage my life with more discipline. I have an internship to do but in order to pay for it as far as the university was concerned I had to maintain full-time student status which meant three more online classes on top of that.  This is going to mean regular discipline this time as I may switch jobs in this time and I also have to be careful because they are online and it is easy to forget them.

Perseverance:

“Perseverance is the ability to stand up and return from defeat and failure”

Principle: Keep getting up after every defeat or failure.

This week has been a tough one regarding The Grey.  Part of it is being with the family and given this past year that has not always been pleasant. My wife’s family in particular was a mixed bag of those who treated me like nothing ever happened and others who completely ignored me. My son being up meant discussing my life as it stands with him, some thing I miss doing because he was always a good wise balance when I could talk to him.  So now, I feel like it is cold and rainy emotionally as part of the aftermath, but I keep walking.

Fidelity: 

“Fidelity is the will to be loyal to one’s Gods and Goddesses, to one’s Folk, to one’s self, and loyalty to one’s friends was as valued as highly as loyalty to one’s family.”

Principle: Be loyal to those who have been loyal to me.

It’s been a good week for my wife and I.  We got to be with our family; just us, my mother, our kids and grand kids. It was a good week in that regard.  Despite the almost split of it; our family still stands.  That’s a good thing no matter how you look at it.

Weekly Routine: 

1. Weightlifting – 4 days per week.
2. Cleaning – 3 days a week.
3. Walking – 4 days a week
4. Writing – 4 times a week
5. Cheat Meal Count – Currently 4

Treating writing like a job is the thing here as I make it a four-day a week part-time job where I don’t get paid. At least for now. My cheat meal count changes next week to three.

Nutrition:

Right now nutrition is  very important as I don’t know when I will be part of gym again. I don’t want to lose what I have gained and nutrition is key to that. Cheat meals will drop to three for the next couple of weeks and carb sources a day drop to three as well.  This is where I want to live after this special diet is over to get ready for my fiftieth birthday pictures.

Weekly Recap:

Foundational – I think adding the idea of love over the virtues of honor, courage and truth is just what I needed to give the picture of what I am trying to do here a little more clarity. That is true of the Business and Self-Virtues as well but it is particularly true here I think.

Business – I have a good feelings going into the next week as I begin school with my internship, try to find a better job and basically improve my prosperity.  I am heading into it with a very positive attitude.

Self –  Good week here as far as fidelity and perseverance.  Struggle a little with discipline because so many changes are taking place so I am adjusting more than anything.

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!