Values
My values stem from one simple
sentence. Do What is Right- Always. I figure if I do what is right- always,
then everything else will fall into place. My values, all stem from my core
belief that I must always do what is right. When I was a child there was a song
I learned in church; the first line is to the chorus is “Do what is Right, let
the consequences follow”.[1] I am a
Christian. And I put great faith and belief in Christ’s admonishment to us “Love
the Lord thy God, and love one another”. Those are the only two things he asks
us to do, and likewise, doing the right thing always, falls into line with
those commandments. If we love, truly love, we will do the right thing in all
situations.
I haven’t always lived by this hard
fast rule, and some of the consequences I have paid have borne that out and I
have paid consequences that were unfavorable. As a child, my parents always
said that our behavior was our choice; however the consequences that we paid
for our behavior were ultimately their choice. One can imagine that I choose
the much easier road, so that I could pay only favorable consequences. As it is
in the criminal justice system, at least that’s what my experience shows.
Part of doing the right thing always is to be
grateful for all of the blessings, and trials that I am granted. I know it sounds somewhat crazy, to be
grateful for trials; however I have found being grateful for the hard things,
has made them so much easier to endure. Let’s face it I would rather have my
set of problems than anyone else’s. A
great prophet and man, Harold B. Lee on said, “Don’t be afraid of the trials of
life. Sometimes when you are going through the most severe test, you will be
nearer to God than ever before.”[2]
This one core value shapes my life
every day. One might say it takes the guesswork out of decisions I am faced
with. If I have a question, I just say what is the right thing to do? ; I find
more often than not the right thing although may be a bit more difficult to
accomplish and much better consequences are the result. For example, when I met with the parole board
representative, I was asked if I was guilty of the crimes for which I was being
punished. I had heard that if one does not admit guilt parole would not be
granted. When asked the question, I took
a deep breath and two thoughts ran through my head, if I do what is right, and
say I am not guilty, I will not be granted parole. If I say I am guilty I will
probably be granted parole. I looked the woman in the eye and said, “No I am
not guilty”. I left the parole hearing fully expecting to be set back at least
a year, and when I met with my case manager later that day, I learned I had
been granted parole at my Parole Eligibility Date! So much for that Urban
Myth”!
I believe that being grateful and
serving others are other tenants that will guarantee success. We must be
grateful for all of the situations, and gifts we are given every day. Yes, even
the bad stuff. We are given trials to help us to learn lessons. I look at my
incarceration as an opportunity to share my talents and my testimony with
others that may not otherwise have been able to hear the message I have to
deliver. Serving others can be as simple
as greeting someone with a smile, helping when help is unexpected or planning
and executing a grand service project. Each random act of kindness helps to
demonstrate that I want the best for everyone, and shows that my creed is just
not lip service.
Society is helped by my personal
code, because I give back, and make things better. Even in my trials, I have
been able to ”bloom where I was planted” thus showing that I can make this old
world a better place for us all. Although I have been involved with the
criminal justice system for nearly five years, I do not believe it has made me
harder. I believe I am much smarter, maybe a bit more reticent in trusting
others and have adapted my behavior to conform to what is expected of me. I
have not changed my personality, yet I have made adjustments to allow others to
temporarily dictate my freedoms. That is the theory of blooming where one is
planted. Make the best of each situation and leave it a little better than how
you found it.
WOW Pretty powerful stuff there!! As much as I would like to change some things, I think that I wouldn't because I ahve learned so much from my mistakes. Thank you!!!!!!
ReplyDelete