Dear Readers,
Academia is an interesting world to swim in. You have the givers, the takers, and some folks who give and take at the same time. However, academia is a place where integrity should be maintained at all times. Too often, we hear stories about people who are large celebrities but their integrity fell when they were met with adversity/temptation.
Integrity is defined in the dictionary as "the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness." I would go a step further and give a real life definition: "What do you do when no one is watching? Are you the same person in the light and in the darkness?"
Overall, integrity is an important aspect in today's culture. In life, can people trust you when your integrity is wavering? Even more so, does your integrity cause you to say No to some things while other people say Yes? With integrity, you have to think about how your actions will affect other people.
Recently, one of my 10th graders did a Life Lesson on Integrity (we discuss Life Lessons on a daily basis). He told the story of Tiger Woods and his trek to the top of the golfing world. This student talked about the awards that Woods received and even spoke about his wife and his family. But later, he spoke about the things that Tiger Woods did when no one was watching (cheating, lying, etc.). But the student said that he learned an important lesson at church: "It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it."
Whatever you do this week, please make sure that your integrity causes you to make sound decisions in the midst of adversity.
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