From the Chaplaincy

Integrity

The quality of the week is "Integrity" which is defined by Webster as "the quality or state of being complete". Mahatma Ghandi is quoted as saying that "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony". So, we could reason that acting with, or having integrity, being complete, with everything working together for good is a recipe for happiness. Certainly, in my own experience, contentedness has come from harmony rather than the opposite. 

Some years ago, I was angry about the way a person had behaved, and I sent him a note telling him exactly what I thought about him, what he had done wrong (in my view) and what he should do to change. But he responded compassionately, he did not rise to my accusations and was clearly trying to make peace with me instead. I was really taken aback by this, as it was not what I was expecting! The same day that I'd heard back from him I had something annoying in my eye. I'd looked in the mirror – thinking it must be an eyelash or something similar – but hadn't been able to find anything. Later in the day I remembered Jesus' quote from the Sermon on the Mount; "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and fail to notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me get the speck out of your eye’, when there is a plank in your own? You fraud! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you can see clearly enough to remove your brother’s speck of dust." (Matthew 7:3-5). I realised that I was being unfairly critical of this person and that my emotions were fuelled more by jealousy and my own sense of insecurity than by anything he had done. I understood I needed to deal with my own faults before thinking about anybody else's (if indeed at all!). The result was the irritation in my eye just disappeared and didn't bother me again, and he and I made peace with each other. 

Ultimately the lesson was that happiness was easier to attain when looking for harmony with others rather than finding fault or picking fights.  Another wise thinker Miguel Angel Ruiz wrote: "Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love." 

So, let's go out with integrity, with the desire to speak truth and love and find harmony with those around us. 

"Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts." Mary Baker Eddy 

The Chaplaincy Team