When we think of prudence, the word caution may come to mind. Some may even associate it with “prude,” meaning a person who is overly modest or priggish in their behavior.
To the ancients, however, prudence was one of the four cardinal virtues, the “auriga virtutum,” the charioteer of all virtues. Derived from the Latin “providentia”—looking ahead, sagacity—prudence involves listening to ourselves and to others, seeking advice and wisdom, and then making a righteous judgment for a course of action and laying plans for the future.
