Prudence is that virtue by which we discern what is proper to be done under the various circumstances of time and place.

Good sense is not a set of rules but a reading of the situation in front of you. The same action can be right on Tuesday and wrong on Wednesday, generous in one room and insulting in another, and telling the difference is the whole of practical wisdom. It cannot be set down in advance, which is why following principles alone still causes harm. Circumstance is part of the answer rather than an excuse for avoiding it.

Before the next decision that matters, spend a minute on what is particular about this time and these people. Ask what would be right here rather than what is usually right.