It’s okay to have fun

This past weekend I attended a dinner and sat with the actor, David Henrie. He gave an amazing talk and shared about his journey back to being a faith-filled Catholic. We both shared our interest and love of virtues, in fact, he came up and asked me if I knew about the virtue of eutrapelia and how it is related to modesty. Of course, he didn’t know that I had recently written about modesty and how it regulates our desire for attention.  

Eutrapelia regulates our sense of play, relaxation, and recreation. St. Thomas Aquinas, who possessed a brilliant mind, knew that there needed to be a proper balance between study, rest, and play. This was also manifested in the life of St. John Bosco, who learned how to walk the tight rope and perform magic tricks in order to capture the attention of the youth. Additionally, it was said that he sent St. Dominic Savio to the playground when he was discovered spending long hours in Church.

Indeed, virtue lies in the middle and the more we learn about the virtues, the more balanced and fun our lives will be. So the next time you feel a little guilty for “taking a break,” recall this little known virtue and have fun.