Sophs BLUE #4 Journal--Be Like Ben [Franklin, of course]
An older and wiser man writing his autobiography, Dr. Benjamin Franklin gave to the world his prescription for achieving "the bold and arduous task of moral perfection": list 13 virtues you wish to master, work on only one per week (like eradicating weeds from one flower bed at a time, he said), examine your day each evening to see if you had committed any actions contrary to that virtue (keep a record in a lined notebook), proceed to the next virtue the next week, and continue this process for a year (you'll be able to go through four cycles in 52 weeks). Sounds simple enough, right? About as easy and American as apple pie.
As a young man hiding behind the nom de plume of Poor Richard Saunders, Franklin's words of wisdom often took the shape of clever, pithily worded aphorisms like "God helps them that help themselves; a penny saved is a penny earned; fish and visitors smell in three days; an apple a day keeps the doctor away, etc."
Your journal assignment gives you some options.
You should (choose ONE of the three):
A. Tell me a personal or family tale that represents one of Franklin's virtues.
B. Tell me a personal or family tale that represents the theme of one of Franklin's aphorisms. Write that aphorism as part of your title. Check out the "talking Ben" by clicking here.
C. Relate in detail some orderly plan that you contrived in order to achieve some goal.
As Ben would have said, "Do not squander time, for that's the stuff life is made of.
POST BEFORE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
posted by JTF @ 2:32 PM
23 comments
23 Comments:
“Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve” that is the definition of resolution. Resolution was one of Ben Franklin’s famous 13 virtues. When I read through what resolution meant in his words it made me remember a situation in which I used this virtue. Two summers ago I was searching for something to do to gain volunteer hours. There weren’t many options at the time because it needed to have convenient hours for my mom to be able to take me and pick me up. One of the few choices given to me was to work at the Food Bank of Delaware. At the time it seemed like a pretty good idea. So I started volunteering there every few weeks. The summer after that I decided to do it once again. I made the commitment to sign up for another summer. After a few weeks of work I started to get tired. Don’t get the idea I don’t like to help others, I do. The only problem was it was getting old. I needed a new scene. I’m young I like change. So one day when my mom picked me up after my day of volunteering I said “Mom, I can’t do this anymore. I ‘m getting tired of the same routine, day after day. I want to quit.” My mom responded by saying “Hannah, you made a commitment to do this so you are going to stick with it.” At first I totally didn’t agree. I argued on the topic more than once that day. But after being told the same thing from my mom I had no choice but to go back. So, I did. But I realized that I had made a commitment and that I am someone who keeps their word. That’s the kind of person I want to be. So eventually the decision to stay started to become my own. I went every day after that with a good attitude. I knew I was doing good deeds. That story is an example of resolution because I may have felt like giving up on something I said I’d do, but in the end I kept my word. Not only did that event help me figure out one of the ways I would like to be portrayed as a person but in the end I was doing it Ben Franklin style.
Benjamin Franklin, scientist, diplomat, and in this case, writer, came up with many aphorisms and proverbs in his lifetime. They range from sayings about birds all the way to the wheels of a cart. There are various saying that I can relate to and one of them is his famous words, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Saving money has been an intrinsic part of my family ever since my grandmother was a little girl. Her mother taught her to be conscious of her money and not to spend it all right away. This importance was taught to my mother and eventually she taught it to me. I use to spend money everywhere I went. Now as I am getting older, I have learned my lesson about budgeting my money. If I see something I want, I think it through before I actually buy it. I say to myself, “Do I really need it?” or “Will I ever use it?” Sometimes even though I really want it then, I am glad that I saved my money for more important things. Also, I set aside money for things that are important to me. I am currently saving for various things that are important, like college. I set aside a fair amount for my cause and then use the rest of the money I have for things like CDs, homecoming tickets or even school t-shirts. This famous Ben Franklin saying, even though written a long time ago, can apply to any time period. Currently, I am trying to live by Ben Franklin’s “A penny saved is a penny earned” saying and I hope one day to pass on that value to my children.
Benjamin Franklin was a very smart scholar and he used a calender to mark his way to moral perfection. One of his thirteen values to perfection is silence. About two years ago I was doing a research paper on Ben Franklin and breifly read about these values. So I mocked my sister who talks non-stop to try not talking from the time she got home from school to before she went to bed, and to keep how many times she talked with a black dot on the calendar. She used this process for about a week ( I thought she would have cracked within the first hour.) Surprizingly, she lasted the whole week with on Sunday 21 marks, Monday 15 marks, Tuesday 16 marks, Wednesday 9 marks, Thursday 4 marks, and Friday she made it all day without talking. It was a miricle!
Benjamin Franklin was an extraordinary man. He opened the peoples’ minds in the 1700’s and helped them improve on their daily lives. Ben lived off of 13 virtues he made himself, which helped him have the best of a life he could possibly have. I have had a personal experience following one of his virtues. The virtue I followed was order and being organized. In 8th grade I had a huge science project that was an all year thing. We would do bits and pieces and an experiment throughout the school year. With all this came a lot of data and papers and information that was spread around. What I did was I kept a binder specifically for the science project so that when I had to turn in everything I had everything in one place. Others however did not do this and they suffered for it. When everything was due they were missing pieces and losing major points on their final grade. But because of keeping order and putting everything in its rightful place I received an A.
“Well done is better than well said” is one of the many great and inspiring aphorisms by Benjamin Franklin. This aphorism is saying that it’s always better when you see someone do something, rather than them just talking about it. The saying is similar to a more modern saying “you can walk the walk, but can you talk the talk.” This aphorism relates to me because when my mom asks me and my sisters to do something for her such as switch the laundry or clean the bathrooms, we tend to say we will, but usually she has to remind us to do it later. At some point my mom caught on to this so now before she says she wants us to do something for her she makes sure she says something like I don’t want it done later it want it done now. Another thing she says to us relating to Benjamin Franklin’s aphorism is I want it done right, instead of half done. I think this aphorism teaches an important lesson to remember throughout many situations. When someone asks you for help or ask you to do something its probably better to just do it when you say you will and how well you say your going to do it. This lesson can be important in order to gain trust from others, and to know you are reliable.
Ben Franklin's virtue of frugality was taught to me by my Grandfather. Being raised in a family with eleven children, his family needed to be frugal. His family owned a corner grocery store, so before the foods went stale, they would create a meal out of them. The also ate a lot of soups and stews because it was inexpensive and could easily feed a lot of people. They had to be careful how they spent their money, making sure they had enough for the necessities in raising such a large family. They could not get everything that they wanted. Most of the children had to work to contribute financially to support their family.
My Grandfather taught me that you can have a happy life without getting everything that you want. He also taught me the importance of saving money for things you may need later on in life. I'm fortunate that he passed this knowledge along to me. In today's society, everyone wants instant gratification. People are constantly replacing items with something newer or better. With my Grandfather teaching me to be frugal, I am careful with my purchases and I try to be conservative with my spending money.
My Personal Tale for “Well Done is Better Than Well Said”
“Well done is better than well said” is one of Benjamin Franklin’s most well known aphorisms. Some other, more modern, aphorisms that relate to this are “Actions speak louder than words” and “Never put off tomorrow, what can be done today.” Basically, all of these aphorisms mean the same thing, which is do not procrastinate. When my parents tell me to do things like, “Take the dog outside” or “Finish your project”, my answer is always the same “Okay, I will.” Sometimes, when I have a big project that is due a week or so later, I do not think that I need to do it right then and I “put it off.” When a week passes by, and I do not have anything done, I rush to finish and that puts a lot of stress on me. When I “wait till the last minute” to finish my projects, it always seems to take longer than it should. I really do not have one personal tale that represents Benjamin Franklin’s aphorism, “well done is better than well said”, I have many, and I’m sure there will be many more. Everyone procrastinates at one time or another because no one is perfect and we all make mistakes. Everyone could learn a thing or two from Benjamin Franklin and his aphorisms.
Ben Franklin’s quote, “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water” is a very wise one. In this quote, he means that you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. This quote is a good way of explaining an experience my dad went through. My dad always used to tease me about always being on the phone, he would say how I could not live without it. This is not completely true, but I do rely on my phone for many things. My dad didn’t realize that he was the same way. He didn’t realize this until he jumped in the water at the beach with his phone in his pocket. I took this time to prove my point and make a bet with him. I bet him that if he didn’t get his phone fixed right away and went through the rest of the vacation without it, he would be going crazy. He agreed to this bet. He made it about a day and a half to realize that he relied on his phone just to get through a day. For example, we were in the car and the radio wasn’t clear so he couldn’t get the score of the baseball game, he thought to pull out his phone and text one of his friends, however he didn’t have it. There were many other times when he would forget about our bet and reach in his pocket for his phone. He subconsciously was dependant of it’s being there when he needed it. Needless to say, I won the bet and he went and got his phone fixed. He didn’t appreciate all of the things he uses his phone for, until he was phoneless. “When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.”
Out of Ben Franklins 13 virtues, the one I can relate to the best is sincerity, which he said "Use no hurtful deceits; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly." I can relate to this because in seventh grade I was kind of mean to kids I didn’t like and had no respect for them. I knew I had to change because I was rude, and realized it after a while of me being that. I had to change how I acted and had to be more sincere to others that were my peers. I couldn’t judge people before I knew them, and I knew I could not be rude to them or then I would never earn there respect. I started seeing who they were and not who I thought they were. I showed them that I had a lot of respect for them, and I started to change as a whole human being. Once you have your mindset to change and do something better, like being more sincere to others, it is easy to do and to stay that way. I have not gone back to my old ways, which is good, and see the best in everyone I meet now.
Ben Franklin was one of the most influential, smart and inspiring men during the early stages of the American Colonies and the United States of America. He was a scientist, philosopher, and much more. He started the first hospital in America in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; he started free libraries, the eclectic stove and so many other tools for our well-being. He also wrote books and had many theories. He had one conception that he could make the world great, his 13 virtues. He believed that if everyone followed his virtues, the world would be well rounded and balanced. The one virtue that I can relate to best is “Sincerity.” Sincerity is defined as “Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.” I like this virtue because that’s one of the many things my parent’s remind me to do on a daily basis, Think before you speak and always be nice. I always try to be nice to people and use my words careful so that I don’t say something stupid and get myself in a situation. I think that Franklin was a genius to think of this virtue because its such an important action that we all need to think about, no matter what our lifestyles are.
Ben Franklin was one of the most influential, smart and inspiring men during the early stages of the American Colonies and the United States of America. He was a scientist, philosopher, and much more. He started the first hospital in America in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; he started free libraries, the eclectic stove and so many other tools for our well-being. He also wrote books and had many theories. He had one conception that he could make the world great, his 13 virtues. He believed that if everyone followed his virtues, the world would be well rounded and balanced. The one virtue that I can relate to best is “Sincerity.” Sincerity is defined as “Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.” I like this virtue because that’s one of the many things my parent’s remind me to do on a daily basis, Think before you speak and always be nice. I always try to be nice to people and use my words careful so that I don’t say something stupid and get myself in a situation. I think that Franklin was a genius to think of this virtue because its such an important action that we all need to think about, no matter what our lifestyles are.
The Early Bird Gets the Deal
I don’t really have any family tale to compare to any Ben Franklin aphorism but I do have sort of a tradition to compare. Every black Friday my mom and I wake around four in the morning to visit the mall to get great deals and we still wait in line but not for nearly as long as we would if we arrived later. I would compare that tradition to Franklin’s aphorism “The early bird gets the worm.” Because since we arrive so early we don’t have to wait in the hour long lines.
Ben Franklin once said, “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” My grandfather has lived by this for many years and still lives by it today. My grandfather left his home in Ireland to come to this country early in his life. Ever since he came here he worked hard and lived a good life. He would always stay with his job through the rough times. He worked only as a factory worker, so he did not make much money. My grandfather had to get plenty of sleep, going to bed early and waking up early, to stay with his job. That’s exactly what he did. Although he may not have made the most money from his job, and is not the wealthiest money wise, he has a wife, four children, and now, nine grandchildren, myself included. He is truly wealthy in blessings. Through the years, my grandfather stayed very healthy. He is now ninety years old, and still very healthy. He is in good shape because of his Irish diet, meat and potatoes every day, that he has followed for a long time. Over the years my grandfather accumulated much wisdom. Every time I see him, he tells stories about his life in Ireland, and his early life in America. He always has something funny to say, or points out the good example or lesson he learned in the story. My grandfather made the right decision to come to America, and truly lived out Benjamin Franklin’s aphorism on how to live life.
“What you seem to be, be really.”
Benjamin Franklin thought of many incredibly intelligent sayings and inventions while he was alive, many of them still being used today. What is truly brilliant is that his words and creations are useful and helpful in the modern world. One saying that Franklin thought of was “What you seem to be, be really.” In my opinion, this means that Franklin believed that people should be sincere; people should be who they really are and not put on fake disguises or deceive others into thinking he or she is something that they are not. I also believe that a person should not fake who he or she really is. People should display themselves genuinely, even if they are afraid of what others may think. I believe that, in this way, a person will find others who are more like his or herself, or people who are more relatable. Often times, I find that when I meet someone who seems to be interesting and original, they are really a different person when I find out more about them. This is usually disappointing and people view that person as a fraud. What you seem to be, really be that person. Be yourself.
"Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation." These speculating words of Benjamin Fraklin would have come in handy to my mother about four years ago. It was a Sunday and my family and I were just leaving church when my mom runs into an acquaintance of her's. (I say acquaintance because my mom wasn't at all close with this woman but it is just one of those situations when all you do with the person is small talk.) So she says hello and notices this woman's stomach being a little bigger than usual and totally out of her barriers, my mom decides to ask her if she was "expecting" (a child). And, of course, this woman hadn't conceived a child and she says, "Well, no..." and at that point my mom just decides to walk away in the midst of that utter embarrassment between both parties. So I'm pretty sure my mom is never going to make that mistake again and most likely isn't too happy I'm telling you and other people about this little anecdote of her's but it makes a good story. So all in all, my mom really could have used these helpful words of Benjamin Franklin prior to when she went out speaking her mind before really deliberating the facts and importance of the situation.
Benjamin Franklin is a prestigious man who should be remembered for his intelligence, talents, and many theories about life. His words and actions inspired many people of his time, and still to this day spark wonders about the everyday world. One of his many beliefs about life was that he wanted to be essentially “morally perfect” by listing 13 virtues and perfecting every one little by little each day. One of the virtues that can relate to an experience in my life is to have order and organization in your life. When I was a freshman my Theology teacher assigned a long term project at the beginning of the year, which required me to keep all paper work and be on top of things that could be used for the project. In order for me to stay organized I put all of my work in a folder and wrote down little notes that would keep me on track and remind me not to forget about the general assignment. When it came down to the week of the due date it was time for me to buckle down and gather all of my things in order to succeed and come out with a good grade. The people who kept all of their belongings together in a folder throughout the year, found the project much easier than those who had not followed directions from the start. In the end, I came out with an A and I gained a better sense of how it is absolutely necessary to have order in life.
“After crosses and losses, men grow humbler and wiser.” When I first read this quote, another popular quote came to my mind: “Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger.” I feel that both of these quotes share a relatively similar theme, which is, if you can survive through something difficult or challenging, whether it be physically or mentally, you become a better person. A “better person” meaning, smarter, stronger, independent, capable, and courageous. Whether it be disease, emotional breakdown, or physical weariness, if you can persevere and overcome the challenge, you will build a “resistance” to what used to make you weak. You become wiser by learning from previous mistakes and you become humbler by actually experiencing what hardships other people may go through. One example that I can recall is when my mom had to get surgery. Looking back, she says it was one of the scariest experiences of her life. She had to endure tremendous amounts of physical and mental pain to get through the entire procedure but it's glaringly obvious now that she has become a stronger person. I feel that “men grow humbler” is one of the key parts of Ben Franklin's quote. After you “cross a bridge” in your life, you realize that it was a lot harder than it looked. Before, you may have even joked about other people who had been going through rough times in their lives, but when you have your own experience, you come to the realization that you weren't as strong as you thought, and thus, you become humbler.
Benjamin Franklin was an amazing human being. Because he exceled in many aspects of day to day life, it shocks me he had trouble wih one of his 13 virtues. But no one is perfect. In my mind, I can mostly relate to his fifth virtue which is frugality. The quote from Ben Franklin " Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself i.e., waste nothing" automatically made me think of my dad. He is one of the few people that follows the two old saying "waste not want not" and "a penny earned is a penny spent". My dad has always had to keep things very homeade because he is the youngest of six and him being the youngest means he gets nothing or hardly anything new. My dad knew that he had to work for everything that he wanted because there was simply not enough money. Now as he as grown older, whenever my sister or myself have a project he is always thinking of using things around the house, being frugale in everything he does.
Benjamin Franklin was a very clever man. He had many achievements in his lifetime ranging from inventions to his list of 13 virtues. His virtues are believed to make a better man out of him, a true man. The story I have about the virtue of silence is one that every little kid has probably experienced once in their lie. It’s playing the quarter quiet game! When I was little me and my sister would be in the car and we would not stop arguing and my mom would say to us, “hey whoever can stay quiet the longest gets a quarter or whoever is quiet the whole ride there get a quarter.” We would go through the whole ride trying to make each other talk to see who would loose the game first. This was a fun way to teach us when we were young to just be quiet sometimes! It was an also a good way for my parents to have some peaceful quiet time! This taught us when to be silent and abide by the virtue of silence!
Benjamin Franklin was a great colonial mind who definitely has left his mark in the world. He was an inventor, printer, and writer who used the alias Richard Saunders in “Poor Richard’s Almanac”. Many popular and recognizable quotes and sayings have come from this publication. One that I found particularly intriguing is “People who are wrapped up in themselves make small packages.” This saying that Benjamin Franklin created contains great words to live by, and words that I try to live by as best I can. It says that people who are only worried about themselves have less meaning than those who worry about the needs of others first. This conceitedness is a characteristic that is best done without, for with this lack of a care for others there is also a lack of tending to the needs of anything other than what will help the individual immediately. If one looks out for only themselves, then they are making a small impact on the world around them. This is what Franklin means by “small packages.” This world would be a much better place if everyone followed Benjamin Franklin’s “directions” in this saying and look out for the well-being of others.
Benjamin Franklin was a very wise man, and he displayed his intelligence and wisdom through many of his sayings that he came up with. "When the well runs dry you will know the worth of water", was one of his sayings that i can really relate to. As a kid i was used to having some of the most ectravagant birthday parties and having tons of presents from all my family and friends. I would get all sorts of presents ranging from gigantic boxes to small cards with money. It was the good life being and only child and my parents having nowhere else to put their extra money but towards whatever i wanted and asked for. It wasnt until my other brother was born that i realized how good i had it before because with another brother for my parents to have to deal with meant less money and attention towards me. Then not too long after i got another sibling which again translated to even less presents for me. I had taken getting 10-20 presents for my birthday for granted and i didn't actually realize how much i should have appreciated when i was the only child until i started getting about 5 presents a year for my birthday and no extra gifts in between either. Before my brothers were in the picture it seemed almost necessary for me to be given a ridiculous amount of presents, now having experienced one of Benjamin Franklin's famous quotes first hand i really have learned to appreciate getting even ten presents on my next birthday.
Benjamin Franklin was a very wise man, and he displayed his intelligence and wisdom through many of his sayings that he came up with. "When the well runs dry you will know the worth of water", was one of his sayings that i can really relate to. As a kid i was used to having some of the most ectravagant birthday parties and having tons of presents from all my family and friends. I would get all sorts of presents ranging from gigantic boxes to small cards with money. It was the good life being and only child and my parents having nowhere else to put their extra money but towards whatever i wanted and asked for. It wasnt until my other brother was born that i realized how good i had it before because with another brother for my parents to have to deal with meant less money and attention towards me. Then not too long after i got another sibling which again translated to even less presents for me. I had taken getting 10-20 presents for my birthday for granted and i didn't actually realize how much i should have appreciated when i was the only child until i started getting about 5 presents a year for my birthday and no extra gifts in between either. Before my brothers were in the picture it seemed almost necessary for me to be given a ridiculous amount of presents, now having experienced one of Benjamin Franklin's famous quotes first hand i really have learned to appreciate getting even ten presents on my next birthday.
A family example of one of Ben Franklin's thirteen virtues in frugality. My father passed away at the age of three. My mother was left with four children the oldest in her freshman year of high school. Our family learned the virtue of frugality at a early stage in life. My mother could only do so much to support us and so we never had the latest and the greatest of anything. We shopped clearance for clothes, coupons for food, and so on. We never went on big vacations to Florida or Europe. In fact, I have only left the east coast about once. Our vacation consisted of the beach and visiting my family. For Christmas we were only allowed to ask for a certain number of toys. Overall we lived a frugal live. We used what we had to get by and we never complained because we knew that there are people out there that are much worse off than we are. We practiced frugality all our life and I think it shaped us into the people we are now. We take only what we need and nothing more and despite that, we do what we can for others. Frugality is a great virtue to practice and made my family wise.
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