two weeks ago

Two weeks ago I had a class with Tamara and she taught us about integrity and honesty and honor and all the rest of the quality, ambiguous meanings of life. The questions from class are as follows:

1. What does integrity really mean to you? How do you know personally when you are displaying integrity? During my basketball days in high school my coach yelled at us. He would yell things like: "If you cut corners on the court you'll cut corners in life!", "Touch with both hands!", "Finnish! Go 100%, 100% of the time!", "Integrity is what you do when no one is watching, girls!" Needless to say, I was fed words of encouragement at high octaves everyday for 3 years during my most impressionable time of life. I will forever and always think that integrity is how I act when no-one is watching and when everyone is watching. I know that I am displaying integrity because it's what I do every day. It's easy.

2. Choose one of the development suggestions, or your own, to work on this week. What did you choose? Why? How did it go? I'm always trying to be a better person in that I'm not sarcastic with people. I've realized over the years that sometimes I get too intense with my sarcasm and sometimes it huts people's feelings. I know this isn't an exact development suggestion but it is something I'm working on so that my character improves. I want to have a positive character; one that others look to as a beacon to be good to others. So far, it's been pretty good; I've been working on it for 2 years.

3. Think of someone you know who displays integrity regularly. What do they DO to demonstrate integrity? How does that impact you? My dad is great example of someone who displays integrity 24/7. He doesn't ever ask someone to do something that he wouldn't do himself. I see that as integrity becuase he does things (and doesn't do things) becuase he wants to/needs to regardless if other people are around. You get him as he is - no tricks, no hesitations, no funny buisiness - he's totally real all the time. He's my dad and I love him! I want to be just like him. He's one of my greatest friends.