The Scale

According to Aristotle and Thomas

--Aquinas, that is--

As well as Augustine, Bernard

and some friends of his,

--Philosophers, if you do not know,

who wrote on virtue

in various books, essays, and prose--

There are two ways the scale might sway:

toward excess or defect

and neither is the virtuous way.

Virtue lies in the middle, in balance

and therein lies true happiness--

while the scale tilts, unhappiness abounds.

The selfish man cannot distinguish

his needs from his wants

and thus he will languish

filling himself with empty pleasures

but alone, unhappy, unable to be satisfied

and all his love requires a measure

but no one measures up.

He broods and abuses,

his soul quakes in shadow and annoyance

lost, dis-satisfied and deluded.

Ah, then there is the other side

--that the excess, this one defect--:

the doormat, still lying where he died.

Like bloodsuckers, the selfish feed

upon the doormat, broken child

catering to others' wants, but never to need.

Very often the doormat's motive is fear

his object is to be loved, not to love

and he holds any attention dear.

He will let you walk upon his soul

and wear away his personality

to avoid 'creating' conflict or losing 'control'.

But he never had control and he can hardly love at all,

for he has little concept of right and wrong

and his love, too, is measured, shackled, and small.

Virtue lies in the middle--

Selflessness, this one is called.

It does not neglect daily needs,

and focuses heavily on these.

Wants, important though they be,

must be moderated and cared for accordingly.

The selfless person seeks to understand

the heart and soul of his fellow man.

He clearly sees the right from wrong,

is temperate in filling his wants,

knows how to say "no" to himself each day,

and to others, but in a loving and creative way.

For all virtue leads to inventiveness,

weighing efficiency with attentiveness,

not willing to do any less

than what is balanced, loving, and best.

So is selfishness good or bad? Natural or not?

I must agree with philosophy:

selfishness is a sorry lot.

Selflessness, on the other hand,

cares for self and others lovingly,

well-ordered and balanced to withstand

the temptations to excess or defect,

indulgence or neglect.

So the queston then is: virtue or vice?

To be happy, or to be perpetually left unsatisfied?