When we were children, our parents started out teaching us things like morals and virtues. They would say, for instance: “Be good!”, and “Share your toys.”, and “Say, ‘please’.” Among other things, they taught us right from wrong; to not steal or lie, and to not hurt others. These lessons formed a moral formula for life and also of the culture around us. As children, many of us enjoyed TV shows like “Super Man” who fought for “ truth, justice and the American way.” These teachings formed in most of us a moral foundation on which we continue to build the rest of our lives. Let’s look at the thought of a “foundation” a little better. Let’s say we are building a home that we intend on living in the rest of our lives, (and in fact, metaphorically, this is what we do). We start to build on this strong foundation: walls, some made of wood, some of block and some poured concrete. This is what psychologists would call the formative years. (Our school years) These years generally set the direction on which our lives will go. Schools and peer pressures form in most of us qualities that we will use the rest of our lives. Leadership, Trendsetters, Team members, and even Sore Losers are shaped at this time in our lives. Some of us will go on to become Corporate Executives, some Doctors, and Lawyers, maybe even Presidents. But also, some will be Mechanics, Gardeners, Sales People, and even Garbage Men/Women. (The latter I have yet to see) As we build this house, that we could call “OUR LIVES”, we find that there are holes that seem to appear in our walls. It seems that vandals come into our homes and destroy bits and pieces of our walls. Sometimes the vandals are called “sickness”, or “handicap”, and these vandals come in at night uninvited, and of no fault of our own, destroying large sections of the walls. Some who have had these things happen to them fall into a fatal low that they never recover from, but others see the hole in their walls as a way to expand their room size and a way to let more light in. Windows and Doors are the things that they take notice of. Joni Eareckson Tada and Helen Keller are people who had such vision and have used these holes as ways to improve their lives and even the world around them. There are also invited vandals that destroy; those who are friends that discourage, insult, use and abuse your hospitality. These vandals are also the type that steal and insult your good sound moral judgments, and undermine even the foundation on which you are built. They scheme as they rub their hands together to find another way to increase to their own advantage, not caring that they take advantage of all that fall into their little traps. They take pride in looking at others in order to find flaws so that these vandals can feel good about themselves, never realizing that honesty and virtue are the only things that make for fine art to be hung on the walls of one’s home. Fits of rage are often a mark of such people who can never fill their lives with a hint of fine culture. They always have a desire for more but never realize the very little that they truly possess by good ethics. At times these people do extraordinary acts to draw attention to themselves. Possibly they will make a big deal about helping the poor or giving money to children in wheelchairs. These are only ploys and ”that a boys”, intended to make themselves feel good. This is in contrast to real charity which is an act of love and seldom seen but often given by those who truly care. When you look around you can also notice those who truly care, not so much because of a smile on their face but more often by a look of concern for others. Possible now in this letter I should close, but I sit and wonder about the artwork upon the walls of our lives. Is it Picasso, Rembrandt, or even Da Vinci, or is it Penthouse and Playboy or even Hustler? The artwork of the walls can hide some flaws and holes, and these artworks should be something of value and greatness. But it seems to me that these artworks are not something that can be bought and hung, but these are the works of our own hands. These are the things and people that we touch. The differences that we have made in the world around us. The pinnacle points in our lives, good and bad, these are things that are seen and remembered. Morals, truth, virtues, reverence, concern, caring, charity, and love, will always be in style. But lying, cheating, steeling, gossip, and anger is often seen but never ever in style in any culture anywhere at any time or in any place. Not even our work place. Decisions Determine Direction Those in management can fire those that cheat, steel, lie, gossip, and are often seen in anger, and they should be fired. But can they change themselves? The answer is a possible Yes. But time is short. And the day is far spent. I wonder how your house looks when you see it? Then again I’m sure that I wouldn’t want to even enter some. These things are not only for management but also for us all. So next time you see a person when their down, lend a hand. And when you see a deaf person, carry a pen. And when you have an employee that has busted his butt for you over forty years, give him more money than the fellow you just hired. Because he is worth it! (I know I should not say that,) but when you have an opinion that is for the good of others, say it! Make a difference in this world for the better. It’s not about the money we all make, it’s about how we live and the things that matter. Because when we die, all that will be left is a little stone and an inscription of your coming into this world and the day you left. And possibly a lie or the truth in one short sentence on what mattered to you. And when it comes down to that day for me I want on that stone just two little words. “He cared.” What do you want on yours? ek
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:27:30 +0000