I'm going to go out on a limb.
I may be out here alone when I'm done, but that's alright.
The limb I choose to follow today is the limb of integrity.
As a youth I didn't believe it when I was told that a person of integrity was of high value. Rather my thoughts steered more toward stealth. If I could do something without getting caught, what would it matter? Why would anyone or anything change if I could go on in the darkness and satiate my desires. My actions would after all, only affect me.
Through the months and years, and lessons learned, my view and conviction has changed regarding the subject.
Integrity is the foundation of trust.
There is a song that I would sing as a child that began with a young child stating that he had asked his mother what integrity meant. She answered by saying "It means to be honest and fair, and sincere at all times. Never take advantage of someone else and get something for myself...it's having firm set of rules."
What is being honest and fair?
In a world where integrity is declining at a rapid rate. We see it in the headlines, and we experience within our own families and our own circle of friends.
Is it ok to take more than one newspaper when putting your quarters in the stand? Maybe you take towels from the motel, or perhaps mislead the merchant taking your money for any given service because you think you aren't going to use what they think you will? Is it ok to copy music and share it with your friends, or even copy DVDs that have a copyright?
I would like to think that I have integrity to the core. That all of your dealings with me will be handled with integrity - fairness, honesty, ultimate truth...the golden rule.
Where do you stand?
I may be out here alone when I'm done, but that's alright.
The limb I choose to follow today is the limb of integrity.
As a youth I didn't believe it when I was told that a person of integrity was of high value. Rather my thoughts steered more toward stealth. If I could do something without getting caught, what would it matter? Why would anyone or anything change if I could go on in the darkness and satiate my desires. My actions would after all, only affect me.
Through the months and years, and lessons learned, my view and conviction has changed regarding the subject.
Integrity is the foundation of trust.
There is a song that I would sing as a child that began with a young child stating that he had asked his mother what integrity meant. She answered by saying "It means to be honest and fair, and sincere at all times. Never take advantage of someone else and get something for myself...it's having firm set of rules."
What is being honest and fair?
In a world where integrity is declining at a rapid rate. We see it in the headlines, and we experience within our own families and our own circle of friends.
Is it ok to take more than one newspaper when putting your quarters in the stand? Maybe you take towels from the motel, or perhaps mislead the merchant taking your money for any given service because you think you aren't going to use what they think you will? Is it ok to copy music and share it with your friends, or even copy DVDs that have a copyright?
I would like to think that I have integrity to the core. That all of your dealings with me will be handled with integrity - fairness, honesty, ultimate truth...the golden rule.
Where do you stand?
I can honestly say that I have never taken more than one paper from a newstand, and have never taken towels from a hotel, and don't have any illegal copies of DVD's, but I do have to admit that I have uncertified copies of sheet music...oodles of them that I have gathered through the years of taking choir/piano, etc. I WOULD like to think that for the most part I am a person of Integrity!!
ReplyDeleteI think you have ALWAYS been an amazing example of Integrity!