Integrity

I've had time to think a lot about this idea recently. I grew up learning that in our family, we honored that which was "virtuous, lovely or of good report, or praiseworthy". We were taught to behave the same way at the grocery store, that we did in our grandma's front room. We learned to strive for consistency.

In my fourth grade class, we've been reading a story about Jackie Robinson and his Brooklyn Dodger teammate, Pee Wee Reese. At the end of the story, the author notes that all good people have a little bit of bad in them, and all bad people have a little bit of good. Truly, people are nuanced. No one is entirely one way or the other.

It's important to strive to do our best, regardless of who is watching. We might think that we are alone, that our actions are not being noted. In reality, there usually is someone noticing even the small things. Working with children means that invariably our integrity is being tested and monitored daily. Kids notice everything, especially intent. When we cheat, fudge or lie, or say that we're going to do something, but we don't, it is noted. When we don't give our best effort, it is noted. I've seen kids deflated and saddened by the actions of adults. Let down, really.

So, in spite of the little bit of bad inside us, we need to soldier on. We need to do the right things for the right reasons.