Integrity

I N T E G R I T Y – H O N E S T Y  -  R E S P E C T

When we moved to Ermelo eight years ago, someone told me that Ermelo was the boiling pot of the old South Africas’  racial divide.  This may be so, but I have also experience/heard about many heart-warming stories of kindness,  of patience and of tolerance.  

I wonder how many of you read the piece in the Sunday Times by the columnist Ndumiso Ngcobo?  The story was about a well- known black South African artist who stopped in a small Free-state town and was approached by  a young white boy:  ”  the barefoot, shirtless, dirty white boy “respectfully”  addressed the black artist, ………. :Asseblief Oom Ka**ir, koop vir my n roomys.”  At first he was obviously taken aback, and believing that he had heard wrong, he asked the boy to repeat what he had just said.  The artist realized that there was no disrespect intended and this boy was simply a product of his environment. Obviously this is by no means an acceptable or excusable behaviour.  Sadly I still hear the ‘K’ word far too regularly.  When I hear it from young children, it puts a shiver up my spine – what chance does this country have if we do not teach our children right from wrong.

 I found a quote that says: “Live your life in the manner that you would like your children to live theirs”.

We as parents are our childrens’ greatest influence.  Formal education and Life can teach many things but the power of teaching by example is in the hands of the parents/guardians.    A life lived with integrity rewards you with SELF-RESPECT. Each time we disregard what is right, we diminish our self respect.   

“It is not living as such that is important as it is to living rightly.”  Because we have no enforcement of law(!) does not mean that a law no longer applies.  There is no small wrong or big wrong – wrong is wrong.

It is human nature to point out the wrong in others and therefore feel better about ourselves.   Many might also say: “I am only one person to try – I say I am one less to quit.  “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness”.  We are all playing for the same team – we need to all pull in the same direction. We all want the same thing:  a roof over our heads, safe streets, education for our children.  This is NOT a black or white thing – it is a basic human need.  Come on!!  Let’s live like we are playing for the same team – we are all South Africans.

If you want to be respected, you must first respect yourself.  Self-respect is the fruit of discipline, the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no, when you know what is right and what is wrong.

Mahatma Ghand said:  In matters of style, swim with the current, in matter of principle, stand like a rock. The future depends on what we do in the present.

Currently there is an URGENCY for CHANGE.  We know that all is not well – politically, economically and otherwise. Change will not fall out of the sky.  We all need to contribute towards change. If we all light one candle, we contribute towards adding LIGHT.

One must judge men not by their opinions but what their opinions have made of them .                    GC Lichtenberg 1789

My prayer today:                                                                                                                               Let light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.

From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.

From the centre where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men -

From the centre which we call the race of men
Let the Plan of Love and Light workout.

Let Light and Love restore God’s  Plan on Earth.

ADVERT:   Trauma/Anxiety counselling  Karin Engman  017 8111136                                         comments: thehummingbird@vodamail.co.za