Are you the person you would want your son or daughter to be?

I love to read and discuss integrity.  Lots of topics can be wrapped around with “integrity.” 

What is integrity?  Before you and I move forward, we need to have an understanding of the word. 

• the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
• the state of being whole and undivided.

Thoughts about integrity:

• When you are able to maintain your own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – you are destined for greatness. – Purposely not giving you the name
• Integrity is doing the right thing even when non one is watching. – Purposely not giving you the name
• If you have your integrity, then be prepared to take a beating from those who have none. – Purposely not giving you the name
• Courage combined with integrity is the foundation of character. – Purposely not giving you the name

Why “purposely not giving you the name?”  I am growing fatigued of “identity” being so important!  I AM!

I will tell you.  None of those four quotes is from humans who have killed people / murdered people.  No Hitler.  No Mussolini. No Mao.  No Lenin.  No Castro.  No leader who abused his OR HER power. 

So, my hope is all four of those quotes fit your vision of living a good / righteous life.  The race of the person doesn’t matter.  The ethnicity doesn’t matter.  The gender doesn’t matter.  

Nope.

Here is how I know ethnicity / race / gender doesn’t matter. 

So, only “purple people” can show, courage combined with integrity is the foundation of character.  That thinking is NONSENSE! 

So, only women can show, integrity is doing the right thing even when non one is watching.  That thinking is NONSENSE!

So, only the people from the land of Wakanda can show, the ability to maintain their own highest standards of integrity – regardless of what others may do – they are destined for greatness.  That thinking is NONSENSE!   

What matters is EVERY DECENT HUMAN BEING believes all four of those quotes are valuable. Quotes we, as loving / caring / compassionate human beings, want to reflect.  Put into action. 

How I measure my integrity is every time I lie / speed / not wear my seatbelt / not meet expectations / etc., I feel like CRAP!  I DO.  I am a sinner.  I am far from being perfect.  (just look at my syntax / grammar — giggle) 

Don’t you feel like crap when you lie?  Don’t you feel like crap when you break the law?

YOU DO?  You know why?  YOU HAVE INTEGRITY.

In our nation, the actions from people, especially leaders (politicians / athletes / leaders of non-profits / clergy / etc.),  show me we have individuals who are lacking integrity.  Let me see if I can give you an example.

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. 
As a teacher, I enjoy asking thought-provoking questions. 

• How is breaking a business’s window or burn it down show strong moral principles? 
• How is resisting arrest show a sense of being honest or having a sense of moral uprightness? 
• How is watching a fellow law enforcement official break the law and not stop him or her showing strong moral principles? 
• How is preaching Marxism and living the life of a “successful Capitalist” show moral uprightness? 
• How is accepting money from a nation (CHINA) who is abusing thousands of humans show moral uprightness?  

I could go on.  There are plenty of examples for the last 2,000-plus years of humans lacking integrity. 

We are going to see more and more behavior that lacks integrity.  Why?  The lack of courage to stand up for our American Heritage.  The lack of supporting the role of fathers!  We need our fathers to accept the responsibility to be the disciplinarian / love his wife / stand-up for what is right / etc.  Not sound too “masculine-toxic,” but you would need to let me know how teaching men to be poor substitute for women (embrace their “feminine” traits) has helped our nation.  Masculine and feminine traits are important!  Embrace them.  Use them to our advantage.  

Now is time to take the “risk” and be full of courage and integrity.  As the quote above says, “Courage combined with integrity is the foundation of character.”  And then, you will need to be ready for this (referring to another quote above):  If you have your integrity, then be prepared to take a beating from those who have none.  Every day, I am being beaten and at the same time, I am being hugged by my wife and GOD (and, yes my son / daughter / daughter in law / grandson / in-laws / relatives / friends …… ah, what the heck… many people are hugging me!!  IMPORTANT PEOPLE ARE HUGGING ME!).  I can not be all things to all people!  

Here are several suggestion to achieve a life full of integrity.

• STUDY LEADERS (both good and evil leaders)! 
• Read classics. 
• Support leaders who demonstrate integrity. 
• When you make a mistake, admit the mistake and apologize.
• When others make a mistake, allow them to apologize and eventually FORGIVE him or her
• Be who you want your children to be.  No children?  Pretend!  Imagine you had a child and how you want your child to remember you. 
• Be sure those closest to you love you the most and they know, by your actions, YOU LOVE THEM THE MOST!   

Have two-or-three friends you can call your “integrity buddies.”  Listen to them.  You are going to have times when you lack integrity.  Those are low times – for sure. 

Learn how to forgive yourself.  Learn how to treat yourself as well, IF NOT BETTER, than how you treat others. 

In the end of the day, you live with … you.  Are you the person you would want your son or daughter to be?  If the answer is “no,” then DAMN IT… CHANGE FOR THE BETTER!  Get a hold of yourself.  YOU CAN DO IT!  Be the person you want your son or daughter to be.  Live not with the goal to be perfect, but the goal to live with integrity!