INTEGRITY MONTH: DAY 15: “It isn’t the education, the job, the promotion, the salary, the material increase—none of that. The real gold is the integrity you gain or lose throughout the process. If you don’t want to cross a line, don’t approach it.”― Richelle E. Goodrich
Once in a while I am tempted, at least in my mind, to take a short cut or do something that is less than what I know to be the right thing.
I used to call these situations “ethical dilemmas” although they are not really dilemmas for me. It is only for a moment that the thought of doing the wrong thing comes up. I always know in my heart what the right thing is, I just tell myself that I don’t want to do it.
When it comes right down to the point of taking action, I have been most comfortable erring on the side of absolute caution and integrity. That is a lovely thing to be able to say. It was not always the way I acted before I began this recovery thing. Thank God for the 4th through 9th Steps. They gave me a path to clean it all up and get on with life without the burden of not doing what I know is right.
This can happen in so many arenas of our lives. At work, at home, in ongoing long-term relationships (which are the hardest to see where we are not on the right path), in the communities where we live, and even with those people we sponsor, mentor, or just have as friends.
When we learn to listen to our hearts, the voice of our consciences, we always know the right thing to do. We somehow convince ourselves it is not necessary or pertinent, even though a tiny voice inside us is screaming. Learning to listen to THAT voice is the challenge of living a life of integrity or just getting by. It is easy to tell who is doing which, they are very unhappy and still blaming others.
Dolphin Hug 