Photo: L. Weikel
Trust
If we can learn anything from this president, perhaps it is the pricelessness of one’s word.
In many ways, in spite of all the awful things I see emanating from this Administration, it’s the utter disregard for the most basic values and principles we try to teach our children from their earliest days that most upsets me.
I realize I’m not saying anything new. For instance, every one of you, I’m sure, is intimately familiar with the concept and value of telling the truth. It’s not even necessarily in the act of having the integrity and, indeed, telling the truth that most of the value is derived. No, the real value comes from the trust your pattern, your habit, of telling the truth engenders in those around you.
Trust. It is, quite simply, something that cannot be bought.
And if we’re not in the habit of telling the truth, we may realize – too late – that we desperately need the trust that comes from telling the truth at a time or place in history when or where nothing can be done to regain what has been squandered.
A pattern of telling lies can easily come back to haunt anyone – but most particularly someone who depends upon the good will and trust of others. And sad to say, I believe our president has erroneously believed that he can rule (or perhaps more accurately ‘overrule’) everything simply by the power of his “say so.”
Trust. Integrity. Truth.
I yearn for the days when our word was our bond. I yearn for the days when people didn’t even consider lying as an option to get out of anything – particularly people operating at the highest levels of our government and serving as role models for our children, our culture, and the world.
Sometimes my idealism causes me a lot of pain.
But what do we do when someone has betrayed our trust time and time again? How do we deal with that person any further? How do we move forward with any modicum of trust? Is it trust but verify (our own president)? How do we even do that when there is such a blatant disregard for us and our right to know the truth?
That’s something we’re all having to face right now.
Here’s hoping when we wake tomorrow there’s been a de-escalation. Here’s hoping we all start to see and appreciate the value of telling the truth. And hold people accountable when they do not.
(T-689)