Character

This past week it seems as though 'character' has been at the core of many conversations across our country.  Not surprising given current events ... Obama, banks, economy, jobs, 'Joe the Who?'  Almost every conversation I've had over the past week has centered around the character of a person or a company whether that was the actual topic of discussion or not.

Character.

Webster says character is "the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing."

Wikipedia defines it as "an evaluation of a particular individual's moral qualities."

And I've heard that character is "the will to do what is right regardless of personal cost."

Pondering ...

... our nature.

... our moral qualities.

... our will to sacrifice for what is right.

This pondering leads me to intimacy.

Today, in our world ... globally, locally ... we all want intimacy.  We crave it.  We need it.  Do we realize it is an innate need?  Life.  Others.  We love our independence and, especially in this country ... especially in NYC, we love our individualism.  Have we allowed that individualism to separate us from each other?  And if so, then we've created the very issue we so often discuss ... the lack of intimacy in our society.

Intimacy.  Character.

It seems there is a direct correlation between the degree to which we are willing to be open and authentic with others and their willingness to share themselves with us.  

Whether our personal self or our self as the company we represent, when was the last time we questioned if we are about the relationship or simply getting something out of the relationship?

How does the degree of our willingness to use our moral qualities by doing the right thing, despite what it may/may not bring to us personally, impact how we conduct ourself in our daily life? impact others in our life?

Character.

Just pondering ...