More than other sins, the definition of Sloth has changed considerably since its original inclusion among The Seven Deadly Sins. It had been in the early years of Christianity characterized by what modern writers would now describe as apathy, depression, and joylessness — the latter being viewed as being a refusal to enjoy the goodness of God and the world He created. Originally, its place was fulfilled by two other aspects, Acedia and Sadness. The former described a spiritual apathy that affected the faithful by discouraging them from their religious work. Sadness (tristitia in Latin) described a feeling of dissatisfaction or discontent, which caused unhappiness with ones current situation. When St. Thomas Aquinas selected Acedia for his list, he described it as an "uneasiness of the mind," being a progenitor for lesser sins such as restlessness and instability. Dante refined this definition further, describing Sloth as being the "failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul." He also described it as the middle sin, and as such was the only sin characterised by an absence or insufficiency of love.
As I read this passage, over and over, I knew that my bedroom was the perfect shot for this sin. When we first moved in I had such high hopes for this room, but for one reason or another it kept being the room to 'put the junk' out of sight. It got over crowded and out of control. Over the last couple years as my responsibilities have increased, it is the room I have let go the most. The rest of the house is almost always presentable and well cared for. My bedroom is ignored, put off, forgotten about. There is not one thing I can put my finger on and say 'that's why', but it does stem from Dirk and I putting everyone else's needs before ours. Dirk's being sick just added to my disinterest in caring for my bedroom...which makes me feel bad because, I think I should care for it more. I love my husband more than life itself, this room however doesn't reflect that at all.
A couple's bedroom represents so much more than a place to sleep. I don't think I have thought about that in a long time. It is the only place we have in this big house that is private, ours, separate from others...and yet it is the area that I hate to go into now, avoid, dread, have lost interest in...that is the sin of sloth and I didn't realize how slowly it crept into my life.
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