The most important virtue

[Flyingfish2019]

What is the most important virtue to your mind. If a good fairy gave you one perfect virtue (like perfect courage, perfect patience, perfect diligence, perfect loyality, perfect intelligence, perfect .... and so on) which would you choose and which would you choose for your children. Would it be the same one? As for me: not sure. Maybe I decide later after having read other people’s answers.

[kayaholly]

Perfect Loyalty, all the rest fall under it for me.

[BlueMerchant]

Myself- perfect grace.
My children- perfect courage

[HarrysOwl]

Good self esteem. If that's a virtue as such?

Bad self esteem can adversely affect so much of your life, I think having a strong, positive sense of yourself paves the way for being a kinder, more respectful, good person.

[Flyingfish2019]

@HarrysOwl I am not sure if perfect self-esteem traditionally would be considered a virtue, wouldn’t perfect modesty be one... and they cannot both be virtues at the same time... but I agree. Selfesteem is very important.

[Lellikelly26]

Kindness
It shouldn’t be underestimated

[Flyingfish2019]

@BlueMerchant: I think perfect courage is the virtue i would choose least likely for my children. I would rather hope they grow into perfect cowards... or at least coward enough to step aside and let others stop the scary robber from snatching the little old ladies bag (or whatever act of courage people might think of).

I do appreciated courage a lot. In others. But not in my children. Would also like to be a bit more courageous myself.

[JaneEyre07]

I agree with PP, kindness. If we all had kindness, the world would be a much better place.

[Flyingfish2019]

@Lellykelly kindness. How could I forget about this one. That’s very important for me.

[OMGithurts]

Perfect wisdom. Then you would know exactly what was right and wise to do in all other situations so the rest of the virtues wouls follow.

[Etino]

Can I add some to what I’ve got? So what I’m massively lacking is drive or energy- what’s that in virtue terms.
Not sure about the loyalty as a virtue- it needs tempering. I’m sure your average isis fighter is fiercely loyal.

[LosingNemo]

I’m with lellikelly (sorry can’t do fancy tagging) - kindness is the virtue of virtues. To my mind it’s the reason for being. I try to teach my kids this.

[HarrysOwl]

Perfect wisdom

And the thread can endth there!

[SeaweedDress]

Wisdom. I don’t think loyalty is in itself necessarily a virtue at all. You can be utterly loyal to an appalling cause or person.

[Flyingfish2019]

@Etino Drive or energy in terms of virtues. Do you perhaps mean lust for live or vitality or discipline as virtues. I think those can be virtues.

[winterisstillcoming]

My first instinct is kindness. But enlightenment covers it all

[Flyingfish2019]

@Seaweeddress That’s true. I think other virtues can become twisted and perverted too. Think of courage or think intelligence and think of the typical James Bond villain. An intelligent villain is a far bigger problem then a stupid one.

[Etino]

Yep, I’ll go with discipline. For me and my children. On top on what they’ve got as they’re/ we’re good on kindness.
I don’t think modesty is a particularly useful virtue!

[pallisers]

I'm with Lellikelly and LosingNemo. kindness. The most underated virtue of all. I don't think you can have a happy family or a happy marriage or a happy home where there isn't active kindness.

I am not overly religious but I think the definition of love in Corinthians 13 has yet to be beat. Love is kind is right up there.

[raindancemumma]

Another vote for kindness here. It's very much needed and is so easy to instil

[Inapickle230]

I agree with kindness. I also think positivity (not sure if it’s a virtue), people who believe the best is yet to happen and appreciate the little things seem to have got it right.

[OMGithurts]

I think kindness can be destructive, ill applied. Women stay in awful relationships because they are conditioned to be kind and look out for others.

[Flyingfish2019]

OMGithurts I did not think about it... but that right. To much kindness can be bad if there is a person who takes advantage of this... makes me wonder: is there even a virtue that is always good?

[grincheux]

Forgiveness I think, I'm a bugger for holding a grudge.

[willstarttomorrow]

Kindness and courtesy , a simple act of kindness make a huge difference and usually those who give consider it nothing but it means so much to the recipient. On the flip side the least attractive trait in others is meaness. Not just financially but in attitude and towards other people in general.

[blackteasplease]

Integrity.