This is about simple virtues. My grandchildren may have never heard this information. For that matter, several generations have been born since this information was commonly shared. I believe our society is suffering from lack of this information, so I am happy to set it out again for the good of all.
Truth - Truth is the cornerstone of everything worthwhile in life. The cornerstone is laid first, and everything else is built on it. Nothing of value can be achieved unless it is supported by truth. There is no such thing as a "fib" or "little white lie." Falsehood is always wrong. Never tell folks what they want to hear just to avoid hurt feelings or to make things easier. Every time you tell a lie, you chip a little piece off your soul. After a few years of lying, there will nothing left of you. Regardless of your best intentions, if you lie, liars will think of you as one of them, and honest folks will too. The ends never justify the means where the means rest on a falsehood. You must start with the truth, regardless of where it takes you. If the truth won't take you where you want to go, you shouldn't go there anyway.
Honesty - Right and wrong exist. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking otherwise. You know what wrong is. Wrong has been defined by scripture and moralists and law for millennia. I don't need to repeat it here. What I do need to tell you is that wrong is always wrong. There is no right time to do something wrong. Stealing is wrong, so there is never an OK time to take something that doesn't belong to you. As with lies, the ends do not justify the means. So, it's never OK to do something wrong as a means of achieving your goal, no matter how lofty it is. People who are called to account for having done something wrong often claim it was a mistake, or that they thought they were doing the right thing. What they mean is their motives were good, so their methods should be excused. But, it doesn't work that way. Unless you are a mental case, you know when you are doing wrong. So don't.
Sacrifice - We live in an increasingly self centered world. Messages like: "If it feels good, do it," and "Take care of number one first," are all around us. Our culture makes heros of people who have done nothing but strut their stuff, and line their pockets with enormous profits. Good for them! But, bad for us to be idolizing their success. True heros are those who have made their mark in service to others. The thing to remember is that sacrifice is an attitude, not an act. You may someday find yourself in a situation where a heroic act of sacrifice is called for. If so, I hope you rise to the occasion. But most of us will never have that happen. What's important is to always remember that what you do and say effects the lives of others. A world of individuals concerned only with themselves would be a hard and ugly place. So you need to moderate your words and actions, even if it means you don't get exactly what you want.
Temperance - Life is full of temptations. Of course, an urge to do something wrong should be rejected out of hand. But that leaves millions of possibilities. Popular culture says that you can't get too much of a good thing. Everywhere you look you see a celebration of excess. And, that's especially true in the media where everything is presented bigger than life. If you try to live your life that way, it will ruin you. Always pace yourself. Be deliberate in your actions. Treat yourself well, but live within your means. Most importantly, acknowledge your weaknesses and guard against giving in to them. Everyone has weaknesses. They can be recognized by your desires and behavior. If you are excessively fond of something, or can't stop thinking about something, or can't stop doing something, or find that something has repeatedly caused you trouble, that "something" is probably the object of a weakness. Name it, acknowledge it, and reorganize your life to control it. Otherwise it will wind up controlling you.
Wisdom - Many people think wisdom is some mysterious quality possessed only by the aged or blessed. Rubbish! Wisdom is simply the combination of virtue and reason. To be wise, you need to know how to reason. Real thinking, or reasoning, is rare, but it is a commodity that is available to everyone. Most people just don't do it. To be a reasoning thinker, you have to start with what you know. Notice, you don't start with what you've heard, or what you've read, or what you've seen on TV. You start with what you actually know. To actually know something means that you are certain of it independent from anyone else's opinion or advice. For most of us, that means reasoned thinking must stem from basic principles and precepts. The maxim, "Start with what you know," is profound in its simplicity. If you follow that maxim, and adhere to the virtue of truth, you will be wise.
Generosity - This is the rarified atmosphere of the moral high ground. Kindness, sympathy, charity, and forgiveness live here. These are not bad things. But many people believe that is all they need to justify their lives. For them the other virtues seem unnecessary. A Rich man gives his money, a poor man gives his time. Both may give their love or passion. The danger is that it feels so good. It's about the giver more than the receiver. Ask yourself, how many gifts are truly anonymous? Why is that? The payoff sought by many do-gooders is an excuse from the responsibility to be truthful, or honest, or to choose faith. Many social activists appear to fall into this category. They believe their good deeds and intentions justify lies and dishonest behaviors. It is important to remember that the true virtue of generosity has no strings attached to it, and does not benefit the giver. It is never charitable to give another man's money away, regardless of the cause. And, it is a cardinal rule that no virtue serves as a justification for any wrongful act or lie.
Faith - We live in an ever more Godless world. The philosophy of secular humanism and the discipline of science have conspired to marginalize faith. They ridicule faith as being superstitious and unnecessary. They claim to be real, and say faith is based on imaginary nonsense. But careful consideration will show the social arguments of humanism and the mathematical or physical descriptions of science are incapable of providing answers to ultimate questions. They are cold and empty. You want the warm reassurance that life is full of meaning. You want to feel a part of something greater than yourself. You want the comfort of believing that death holds no dominion over your life. All this is available only through faith. You must chose to believe. It's a simple, easy choice. And the Good News is that God is always there when you seek Him. Buy a modern translation of the Bible and read it. Start with the New Testament. Open your mind and heart to the message. It will change your life and the lives of those you love.