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Friday, 14 September 2012

The World Needs More John Wayne: Honesty, Integrity, and Balls



Over the last few months trust has become an issue for Canadians. Trust in government, trust in people, trust in spouses, trust in churches, and even trust in themselves. Can you trust the guys at work? What are people saying about you? What ever happened to the strength we garnered from trust? My father said that you can tell the worth of a man (or woman) by the value they put on their word. If you say you will be there, then be there! Yet today I see kids who tell their friends they will meet at the shopping center and when the kid goes the friends don’t show up. Then when they call to see what happen the other kid will say “Oh I changed my mind.” It does not phase them that they went against their word and wasted their friend’s time.

What has changed? Why would our children not understand the value of their word? I have a theory. The school system, parents, and the media do not talk about the Golden rule any more. Take John Wayne. What made him the man we all wanted to be? When John told you something you could bet your life (literally) that he not only meant every word but that he would follow through. His quiet strength and full belief in what he said told you this is a man. How long has it been since you were with a person like this?

Another one of his great strengths was his common sense. You knew that his belief in common sense is what gave him his unshakeable sense of purpose. In El Dorado he is tough on Robert Mitchum who has become a drunk over a lost love. You know that he is Mitchum’s friend, but he won’t put up with anything but recovering the man he knew. It may seem simplistic, but common sense is simple. Right/wrong, needed/not, good/bad, first things first and the frills come second (something government has lost track of); it’s simple. How do you teach the golden rule? You make it the rule in your life and you prove it to others by being unwavering in your beliefs. Then you pass that rule on and you hold each person accountable to it. Finally you don’t deal or compromise on their word or yours. Period. What do you think and how important is surrounding yourself with people who share your beliefs?

Oh here's a final gem from Mr. Wayne.


"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them." 


Simple right?

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