Pride.

Greed.

Wrath.

Envy.

Lust.

Gluttony.

Sloth.

From a religious point-of-view or not, The Seven Deadly Sins are something that we are warned about from a young age whether we realized it or not. Our parents tell us to get off of our phones and do something productive with our time: sloth. Stay healthy, and take things in segments: gluttony. Contain yourself and act responsibly: lust. Be happy with what you have, and don’t let those wins be poisoned with other’s accomplishments: envy. Treat others the way you wish to be treated: wrath. It’s better to give than to receive: greed. Be content with your accomplishments, but shower others with your praise before yourself: pride.

I never really thought about how tempting it is to let yourself be held by the sins, struggling to be dropped on your feet once more. Even when we are aware of the opposing threat that sits on our shoulder like the Devil, whispering pretty lies into our innocent ear, we still give in every once in a while regardless of the restraint we possess. 

Pride: a soft violet that portrays itself as innocent and lavish, but is manipulative and ego-boosting. 

My substantial ego keeps me afloat like a life raft keeping my head above my toxic, damaging mindset. Others think of me as selfless when giving to others, but the way that I think of myself compared to my peers is too prideful for my own good. In my future, I want to be successful, pretty, and wealthy; my ego will only grow from here. The attention I receive due to my appearance waters the seeds that are my ego. 

Envy: a dark green that appears as immature but is vengeful and chromatic. 

Greed: a flashy gold that is inviting and promising, but is fruitless and unforgiving.

My unquenchable thirst for success in life brings me the will to work harder which will ultimately create endless opportunities for my future, but the envy of others stays constant for when they succeed and I fail. The work I put into something is never enough compared to my peers, and, although this prevents sloth, it also breaks my ability to be ok with that I have. I always have to be better than my best–I am also greedy. I envy those in which A’s come as easily to them like a gift on their birthday; I want A’s to fill my grade book and get a 4.0 GPA. I envy those in which their best is enough, and I want my best to surpass my best. I envy those in which easily take the hardships in life and use it to fuel them into success, I want my hardships to not tie me down but to propel me into the next steps of life.

Wrath: a scarlet hue of red that is striking and powerful, but is cavernous and empty.

I never think of myself as someone filled with hate, but it is one in a human’s nature to feel strong, negative feelings towards someone. As a human species, we have a hard time accepting our enemies and loving them for who they are, it’s easier to turn to hate and forget the positives. Sometimes I find myself thinking negatively about someone because I might disagree with them or have a small reason to not like someone. 

My Seven Deadly Sins appear throughout my day but they have become so customary to my daily thoughts that they sit in the back of my mind; the Devil resting on my shoulder. Breaking the toxic habits of my state of mind is hard, but it’s what I’ve been working on this year. 

I want to be better for myself.

I want to be better for others.

I want to only hear the voice of the angel on my shoulder.