"Nous devrions préserver plus de vertu que nous ne montrons"

The heart of the message is simple: keep a reservoir of goodness inside you that’s even greater than what you display to the world. It’s about being authentically virtuous—not just for the applause, but because it’s who you are.

Think back to ancient times, specifically to the Stoics. They were big on this idea of inner virtue. Around the time of Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor and philosopher, this was a common theme. Marcus himself wrote about the importance of internal strength and moral fortitude in his “Meditations.” He believed true virtue was not about public display, but about private conviction and consistency.

Now, picture a real-life scenario. Imagine you're at work and you see a colleague struggling with a project. You help them out, not because you want to be seen as the office hero, but because you genuinely care about their success and well-being. You don’t go around telling everyone how you saved the day—your help came from a place of true virtue. And maybe the big boss never finds out, but that’s okay with you. Your reward is internal—a sense of doing the right thing.

Here's a tip for applying this idea: cultivate small, unnoticeable acts of kindness and integrity. Start with simple interactions—hold the door for someone or let a car merge in front of you during rush hour, even if no one's watching. It’s these small, often unseen actions that build your reservoir of virtue. Over time, these will shape who you are, making your outward actions genuine reflections of your inner self.

Let's bring this to life with a story. Picture a guy named Jake. He’s a schoolteacher in a small town. Jake’s not flashy, doesn’t post his good deeds on social media. One winter, there’s a heavy snowstorm, and he notices his elderly neighbor struggling to clear her driveway. Without saying a word, early in the morning, he shovels her driveway before heading to work. He doesn’t leave a note, doesn’t wait to be thanked—he just does it because it’s the right thing to do. Over the years, Jake’s small, quiet acts of kindness build a strong, unspoken bond in the community. People trust him, not because he’s always talking about his good deeds, but because they can sense his genuine virtue.

When it comes down to it, preserving more virtue than you show is about integrity. It’s about doing good when no one’s watching, when there’s no trophy at the end. The world may not always recognize these efforts, but the impact is profound. It’s like planting seeds for trees whose shade you might never sit under—selfless acts that benefit others and enrich your own character. So, next time you do something kind, don’t worry about getting credit. Just know that you’re quietly adding to that reservoir of virtue, making the world a better place, one unseen act at a time.