7 Things People with 7 Things People with integrity dointegrity do

1: 1: Doing What We Say We Will doDoing What We Say We Will do

• A person of integrity keeps his/her word

• Example: You tell your friend, “Hey, I’ll meet you at Skate City tomorrow at 5:00.” You find out that your mom can’t give you a ride. What would a person of integrity do?

“Abraham Lincoln Keeps His Promises”

Abraham Lincoln, who became the sixteenth president of the United States, once traveled in a stagecoach with a military man, a colonel, from the state of Kentucky. “After riding a number of miles together, the colonel took a bottle of whiskey out of his pocket, and said, ‘Mr. Lincoln, won’t you take a drink with me?’

“Mr. Lincoln replied, ‘No, Colonel, thank you, I never drink whiskey.’

They rode along together for a number of miles more, visiting very pleasantly, when the gentleman from Kentucky reached into his pocket and brought out some cigars, saying, ‘Now, Mr. Lincoln, if you won’t take a drink with me, won’t you take a smoke with me? …’

“And Mr. Lincoln said, ‘Now Colonel, you are such a fine, agreeable man to travel with, maybe I ought to take a smoke with you. But before I do so, let me tell you a little story—an experience I had when a small boy.’ And this was the story:

“‘My mother called me to her bed one day when I was about nine years old. She was sick, very sick, and she said to me, “Abey, the doctor tells me I am not going to get well. I want you to promise me before I go that you will never use whiskey or tobacco as long as you live.” And I promised my mother I never would. And up to this hour, Colonel, I have kept that promise. Now would you advise me to break that promise to my dear mother, and take a smoke with you?’ …

“‘No, Mr. Lincoln, I wouldn’t have you do it for the world. It was one of the best promises you ever made. And I would give a thousand dollars today if I had made my mother a promise like that, and kept it as you have done’”

2: Taking Responsibility2: Taking Responsibility • A person of integrity is willing to be totally

responsible for his/her actions.

• This means that a person of integrity does not blame other people for things

• Example: I drop my mom’s favorite glass, and my little brother is right next to me. What would a person of integrity do?

George Washington and the Cherry Tree

When George was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way.

One day, as he wandered about the garden amusing himself by hacking his mother's pea sticks, he found a beautiful, young English cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.

Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger, and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Nobody could tell him anything about it.

Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room.

"George,'' said his father, "do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? I would not have taken five guineas for it!''

This was a hard question to answer, and for a moment George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried:

"I cannot tell a lie, father, you know I cannot tell a lie! I did cut it with my little hatchet.''

The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said:

"My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees! Yes - though they were blossomed with silver and had leaves of the purest gold!'

3: 3: Taking care of ourselvesTaking care of ourselves• A person of integrity can support him/herself,

and doesn’t depend on other people for everything. This includes taking care of your needs and stay physically fit and have enough money.

• Example: Mom has been giving me lunch money all my life, but now I have a job. What would a person of integrity do?

The Grasshopper and the Ants

In a field one summer's day a grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content.  A group of ants walked by, grunting as they struggled to carry plump kernels of corn.

"Where are you going with those heavy things?" asked the grasshopper.

Without stopping, the first ant replied, "To our ant hill.  This is the third kernel I've delivered today."

"Why not come and sing with me," teased the grasshopper, "instead of working so hard?" 

"We are helping to store food for the winter," said the ant, "and think you should do the same." 

"Winter is far away and it is a glorious day to play," sang the grasshopper.

But the ants went on their way and continued their hard work.

The weather soon turned cold.  All the food lying in the field was covered with a thick white blanket of snow that even the grasshopper could not dig through.  Soon the grasshopper found itself dying of hunger.

He staggered to the ants' hill and saw them handing out corn from the stores they had collected in the summer.  He begged them for something to eat.

"What!" cried the ants in surprise, "haven't you stored anything away for the winter?  What in the world were you doing all last summer?"

"I didn't have time to store any food," complained the grasshopper; "I was so busy playing music that before I knew it the summer was gone."

The ants shook their heads in disgust, turned their backs on the grasshopper and went on with their work

4: Thinking of the big picture4: Thinking of the big picture

• People of integrity think of how everyone else around them is doing. They often ask the question, “Is this good for everyone, or just me?”

• Example: Johnny is excited because he learned how to make fart noises with his mouth. He gets into class and everyone is writing. What would a person of integrity do?

• What philosopher said “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?

• It wasn’t a philosopher, but was spoken by Spock in Star Trek II. He sacrificed his own life to save his crew of 400.

5: Respecting others5: Respecting others

• A person of integrity will “think of other people as better than him/herself,” give other people honor, and expect to receive from other people.

• Example: A kid sits next to you whom you never talked to before. You saw him with another kid that has been mean to you before. What would a person of integrity do?

6: Checking the mirror6: Checking the mirror

• A person of integrity looks at themselves, and always wants to improve him/herself. Also, a person of integrity can admit when something is wrong with him/her.

• Example: Johnny’s friends tell him that he cusses to much. What would a person of integrity do?

A Tortoise, lazily basking in the sun, complained to the sea-birds of her hard fate, that no one would teach her to fly.

An Eagle, hovering near, heard her lamentation and asked what reward she would give him if he would take her aloft and float her in the air.

“I will give you,” the Tortoise said, “all the riches of the Red Sea.”

“I will teach you to fly then,” said the Eagle; and taking her up in his talons he carried the Tortoise almost to the clouds.

Suddenly the Eagle let the Tortoise go, and she fell on a lofty mountain, dashing her shell to pieces.

The Tortoise exclaimed just before she died: “I have deserved my present fate; why did I think I was meant for wings and clouds, when I have such difficulty moving about on the earth?

7: Stand up for what is right and 7: Stand up for what is right and wrongwrong

• A person of integrity will live the truth, what is right, no matter what other people do or say.

• A person of integrity will stand up and speak if something wrong is happening.

• Example: All of Johnny’s friends are smoking cigarettes behind the school. They want him to join in. What would a person of integrity do?

The Dog and the Wolf

A gaunt Wolf was almost dead with hunger when he happened to meet a House-dog who was passing by. "Ah, Cousin," said the Dog.

"I knew how it would be; your irregular life will soon be the ruin of you. Why do you not work steadily as I do, and get your food regularly given to you?”

"I would have no objection," said the Wolf, "if I could only

get a place.”

"I will easily arrange that for you," said the Dog; "come with

me to my master and you shall share my work.”

So the Wolf and the Dog went towards the town together. On

the way there the Wolf noticed that the hair on a certain part of the Dog's neck was very much worn away, so he asked him how that had come about.

"Oh, it is nothing," said the Dog. "That is only the place

where the collar is put on at night to keep me chained up; it

chafes a bit, but one soon gets used to it.”

"Is that all?" said the Wolf. "Then good-bye to you, Master

Dog."

Better starve free than be a fat slave.