INTEGRITY

A man with integrity is a man who is incorruptible. He is a man who does the right thing simply because it is the right thing and not because he will gain from it.

A man with integrity is an honest man. He is a man who lives by a valiant set of values or rules without wavering.

A man with integrity stands up for the truth and those that represent it even in the moments when it may not benefit him.

And I believe a man with integrity is often a generous and considerate and caring man. For these things go hand in hand.

When a man lacks integrity in any part of his life, the fallout spills over into every nook and cranny. The outcome effects not only him but also his family, his friends, and the people who surround him on a daily basis.

Eudora Welty, a short story writer, once said, "Integrity can be neither lost nor concealed nor faked nor quenched nor artificially come by nor outlived, nor, I believe, in the long run, denied." I believe what she means by this is that integrity is something that comes from within and while it may not be recognized immediately, the actions of a man who possesses it will be recognized eventually. And she makes it seem like integrity is a rare find. I might agree with that.

Some days, it may not seem worth the risk, to act with integrity. As a people, we are far more concerned with advancement and success, with money and material items, and with fame and notoriety than we are with being truthful and honest and doing the right things.

Integrity is the little voice in your head, the angel on your shoulder, the feeling in your gut that lets you know you're on track. It's a knowing deep inside of you.

Alan Simpson once said, "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters."