So well-articulated, Susan, and so well-summarized. Thanks for this guide! Of course, I do wonder what this worldview provides for those who are pursuing the good and all manner of bad things happen to them beyond their control. I suppose part of that is (looking back over their lives) they see and treasure the fruit of the good pursued, despite the poverty, pain and suffering that seemed to dog them at every step.
Great and thoughtful comment. I almost got into that aspect in this piece, but since it was a summary I tried to discipline myself from potential rabbit trails (even excellent and necessary ones, as this is). Natural law does address this - "other factors being equal," a person pursuing the basic goods will flourish more than a person who does not pursue them. Because exactly what you say - if you are beset by an enormous number of trials and hardships, they of course WILL affect your flourishing.
Even still, a person committed to enacting the basic goods in his life will still end up flourishing more - despite hardships - than a person not enacting basic goods in his life, contending with the same hardships. Friendship and beauty and knowledge (etc) can be experienced by anyone, regardless of hardships, and pursuing them acts almost like a protective element against the worst aspects of heartache. They enlarge the good in the midst of potential misery.
Which is a long way of saying: I fully agree with your conclusion. :)
So well-articulated, Susan, and so well-summarized. Thanks for this guide! Of course, I do wonder what this worldview provides for those who are pursuing the good and all manner of bad things happen to them beyond their control. I suppose part of that is (looking back over their lives) they see and treasure the fruit of the good pursued, despite the poverty, pain and suffering that seemed to dog them at every step.
Great and thoughtful comment. I almost got into that aspect in this piece, but since it was a summary I tried to discipline myself from potential rabbit trails (even excellent and necessary ones, as this is). Natural law does address this - "other factors being equal," a person pursuing the basic goods will flourish more than a person who does not pursue them. Because exactly what you say - if you are beset by an enormous number of trials and hardships, they of course WILL affect your flourishing.
Even still, a person committed to enacting the basic goods in his life will still end up flourishing more - despite hardships - than a person not enacting basic goods in his life, contending with the same hardships. Friendship and beauty and knowledge (etc) can be experienced by anyone, regardless of hardships, and pursuing them acts almost like a protective element against the worst aspects of heartache. They enlarge the good in the midst of potential misery.
Which is a long way of saying: I fully agree with your conclusion. :)
I like the image that pursuing the goods "acts almost like a protective element against the worst aspects of heartache." Excellent. Thank you, Susan.