MODERATION

Let a man hold the cup,
yet of the mead drink moderately,
speak sensibly or be silent.
As of a fault
no man will admonish thee,
if thou goest betimes to sleep.

–Hávamál 19

This tidbit of lore comes from the Hávamál, or the "Sayings of Hár", a part of the Eddas from the Norse tradition. Purported to be the words of Oðinn, the All-Father, much of Hávamál centers on themes of moderation, of discipline and restraint. A wise man, says Oðinn, knows when to eat and when to stop eating, when to drink and when to say "enough", when to speak and when it would be more prudent to listen and learn. All these things center on the ADF virtue of moderation.

Moderation is not self-denial; moderation does not demand that we forego the pleasures that this life affords. Moderation only requires that we not allow our partaking in these pleasures to turn to our detriment through excess. We've all experienced the results of having "too much of a good thing", be it a stomachache after a particularly lavish Thanksgiving dinner or a pounding headache the morning after a night of overindulgence. The virtue of moderation lies in the ability to discern the amount of indulgence that allows for pleasure without being detrimental to our health, prosperity or relationships with others.

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