What Really Matters

These days, we hear much about character, particularly with regard to presidential candidates. Voters criticize at the drop of a bit of hearsay, as well as the candidates’ castigating their rivals. Let’s take a moment for checking our own personal inventory of the standards we live by. What is it we see in our fellowman and dislike?

For me, two items: the lack of one’s not keeping his promises, no matter of how unimportant the one who makes the promise sees it. For example, if you promise me you will call, come by in person, answer my letter, be on time, read my blog, and all other such non-earth-shaking actions, I expect you to keep your word. If you break such a promise to me, it always means a waste of my time, as well as possibly loss of money.

Recently, I had to break a promise. However, I called and explained I could not do what I promised. The reason was that I had to go by ambulance to the emergency room at a hospital. That was around 5:00. I came home around 9:00 by cab. I cannot ask for favors from my friends and neighbors, even if they say, “Call me if you need anything anytime.”

The other item—well, it seems to be more of the same—breaking promises. But these are not promises for me, but for the person who makes the promise. Such as: he will read the book I recommended to him, loaned him, or gave him. When I do this, the book means a great deal to me and I want to share it with others. If it’s a loan, I certainly expect the return of the book within a reasonable time period, and I’m not talking about two or three days. Most such books I’ve recommended are on the small side, often less than 200 pages, and are books I’ve read several times. To name a few of my favorites: Man’s Unconquerable Mind (Highet); Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury); Gift from the Sea (Lindbergh); My Normandy (Dennis); Eats, Shoots & Leaves (Truss); The Silence of the Sea (Vercors); Out of the Silent Planet (Lewis); A Point in Time (Horowitz); The Scapegoat (du Maurier).

Not for only politicians, but for everyone, promises are meant to be kept.