Integrity

Summary

The text discusses the concept of integrity as a lifelong journey of being honest, unified, and striving for wholeness, despite the inherent imperfections of being human.

Abstract

Integrity, derived from the Latin word "Integer," is explored in the context of personal wholeness and honesty. The author reflects on the importance of being whole as a person, acknowledging that while we aspire to be complete, it is an ongoing process that involves making consistent choices and actions. The essay emphasizes that integrity is not about perfection but about the continuous development of honesty and faithfulness to one's word. Through personal anecdotes, the author illustrates the struggle with integrity during adolescence and the realization that it is a virtue that takes time to cultivate. The text concludes with the assertion that while we cannot always be whole, we can choose to act with integrity, which is crucial for personal growth and maintaining trust in relationships.

Opinions

Integrity is seen as a vital quality that contributes to one's completeness as a person.
The author believes that integrity is not an inherent trait but something that can be learned and developed over time.
It is acknowledged that everyone has imperfections and that it is normal not to be complete or consistent all the time.
The author emphasizes the importance of being honest and true to one's words and actions to develop integrity.
Forgiving oneself for past lapses in integrity is presented as a necessary step in the journey towards personal wholeness.
The text suggests that making the right choices and maintaining integrity is a matter of personal responsibility and can lead to a more fulfilling life.

Monday prompt: What does it mean to be a whole person?

Integrity is a Latin word of “Integer” in math, and it means whole or complete. I was fourteen years old when I learned the word “Integrity.”. Integrity is the quality of being honest, undivided and unified.

Have you thought about being whole? Are we always complete as a person? Do we have to be whole? These questions were roaring in my mind when I heard the word “integrity.” Being whole as a person is essential, and sometimes we have choices and decisions to make to be consistent.

There are things that we lack, and there are things that part of us are still missing. Every day, we are learning and growing to be the person we are destined to be. I always think that we have to be whole as a person, which is undeniable, but sometimes we have to accept that we cannot. We cannot be complete and absolute of ourselves all the time because we are human. We have imperfections.

I am not saying there’s wrong with being a human. Integrity is something that we can learn and develop from time to time. Integrity is not being perfect of any kind. We develop being consistent with our words and actions, and that’s why we have decisions to make. I was fourteen years old when I heard that word; since then, I would beat myself up to not be able to be whole or lack integrity or fail to be consistent with my actions. Little did I know, having integrity isn’t something that we develop overnight. It’s an ongoing process.

I was in tenth grade when I used to tell my teacher that I will send her my homework before the end of the day, but I ended up not doing it and made an excuse. That’s a lack of integrity for not being faithful to my words. I was young, a teenager, and an immigrant. I still have many things to learn. But I forgive myself for not being consistent since I am still learning to be whole as a person. I’ve learned that we are human beings and cannot be perfect, and we cannot be complete all the time.

Right now, I know how to be consistent with my words. I know how to be honest. I choose to be honest. I wouldn’t say things that I don’t mean or won’t do because I’ve encountered people who lack integrity. I’ve realized that having integrity is essential to learn.

Let’s go back to being whole. Yes, we cannot be whole all the time, but we can CHOOSE to be complete and have integrity. Be a woman or man of integrity. Be a woman and man of words. We all have choices to make, and make sure it is the right choice and have integrity.