“Integrity” : A precious metal

 

I have the pleasure of being married to a pretty savvy attorney that is a partner at one of Nevada’s largest law firms.  She has practically coined the phrase ” principle is expensive”.  She is referring to the cost of litigation when principle is involved. I myself have purchased several pounds of principle throughout my 23 years of business.  However I do not believe it is “principle” that brings with it the greatest cost per ounce, rather its prime ingredient, “integrity”.

 

in·teg·ri·ty    /inˈtegritē/  Noun

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

The state of being whole and undivided: “territorial integrity”.

Synonyms

honesty – probity – entirety – rectitude – wholeness

Like any precious metal, integrity is found in limited supply.  It is the fundamental ingredient in Honor, Justice,  Principle and true Nobility.  Those that have it cherish it more than money or fame.  Those that don’t, believe they will never be able to afford it. Just like gold or platinum, it takes resources to recover this precious metal.  One of the greatest resources is time.  This precious metal is not found deep in the earth between rock and brimstone, it is found in the hearts of men.  Integrity is cloaked in the very soul of our existence and takes sacrifice and truth to uncover.  Men have died in the search of gold but great wars have consumed our population on the bases of integrity.

At times when one feels they have been wronged, lied to or morally mistreated they feel the need to mine for integrity in the soul of their assailant.  They seek to find truth by digging deep into their own wallets to bring this precious metal to light.  Some call it justice, but on a deeper lever it is about being made whole.  The one mining does so with a dedication to their own truth which has a value that is greater than the dollar.  They seek to reveal the right in their ways by exposing the wrong in their assailant.

Integrity is a precious metal that is unique and rare.  One of its extraordinary traits is it cannot be stolen or taken away.  It can only be abandoned by its owner or simply thrown to the side and forgotten. It is a heavy metal that leaves little room for greed or emotion.  It can be corroded by envy or jealousy.  It turns to dust when exposed to indifference. Like most precious metals, it is the fact that it is in limited supply and comes at a high price to extract, that makes it so expensive.

 

By Ronnie Lee @IIpause (twitter: @iipause)