Old habits die hard
I was raised in the Roman Catholic church. The sign of the cross was something I performed at least twice a day every day for 20 years. Though I no longer am a devote Catholic, the sign of the cross is still engrained in my brain... why repurpose it for my own purposes? Now when I use it when I need to pause and reflect on the cardinal virtues. Instead of "in the name of the father, son and holy spirit", I touch my forehead and say Wisdom: Even though the ancients thought we thought with our hearts, there is sufficient evidence these days that the brain is the source of our consciousness. Justice : When I touch my chest over my heart I remind myself of this virtue. Justice requires us to treat others fairly, to do our part in society. Temperance : When I touch my left shoulder (which is my weak arm) I think of constraint and self control. Courage: When I touch my right shoulder (my strong arm) I think of fortitude and strength of res...