Celebrate the Small Things: Integrity and Respect Stems from the Inside #FridayFeeling
Fridays are all about celebrating the Small Things thanks to a weekly blog hop created by author Lexa Cain. Joint co-hosts this week are authors L.G. Keltner @ Writing Off The Edge Tonja Drecker @ Kidbits Blog The mission coincides with what I’m hoping to do with my own writing, inspire and focus on the light when those slippery shadows creep around our shoes. Want to sign up? Click Lexa Cain’s link to find out more.
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I am a believer in integrity.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve known I see the world in bright, justly colors. I’ve known I strive to find the truth in all things: from the littlest dandelion growing in the yard, defending a poor little slug which the neighbor kid tried to destroy with salt, to friends I’ve met along the way who struggled with the truth and couldn’t sing it as it should have been. I believe in the truth and I try to give people the benefit of the doubt in telling it. I’m not perfect. No one is. I’ve withheld it myself in fear from time to time, and then I’ve faced the consequences as bravely as I could have. I think the importance in truth, integrity and living an honest life, is knowing who we are on the inside. It’s believing in that, and surrounding ourselves with those who believe in us, too.
This week I’m celebrating integrity and the growth in facing it. I’m celebrating the state of mind we need to be in, in order to create a safe place to discuss the truth.
As a mother, I’ve been working to teach my kids this week the importance of following our hearts instead of being followers of the fun thing to do. With the first week of school down, challenges erupt in meeting new friends; friends who aren’t always like us. Ultimately, we all have our own truths. We all want respect. We certainly all love someone and we must respect this love and the uniqueness of each soul we meet along the way.
As a writer, I’m working on a character with strong integrity who will have it challenged every step of her journey. She’ll have to face two difficult truths and weigh the impact of each, eventually forced to pick one.
As myself, a woman who sees the world in bright, justly colors, I’m celebrating following my own heart. I’m proud of every small progressive footstep and will continue to embrace the thought that eventually hard honest work will pay off.
Ultimately, in teaching truth and respect the important thing I’ve learned is:
How about you? What are you celebrating this week?
Posted on August 18, 2017, in Uncategorized and tagged Celebrate the Small Things, Cloud Nine Girl, Erika Beebe. Bookmark the permalink. 19 Comments.
Cloud Nine Girl 
Integrity: we need more people who believe in it, and teach it to their children.
I agree 🙂
Great post. I like the idea of celebrating little things. Above all the last quote stands out. It really says a lot about a human, when he affect those around him positively.
Love the post as always.
Happy Monday, Erika 🙂
I so agree. Integrity we lose a lynchpin in society. I’m glad you celebrate and extoll that quality, the pass it onto your children.
Thank you Lee. I really appreciate you
Stopping in 🙂
We keep finding happiness out of the house, and it actually resides inside…
That’s a great way of putting it 🙂
Integrity is so important to be true to yourself. When we lack integrity it not only affects how others perceive us, it affects our self image. I’m so glad you are a woman of integrity. Take care. 💕
Thank you so much. I try my best 🙂
You’re doing great!
This is such an important post. I believe integrity is something that we don’t see enough these days. Thanks for sharing!
http://www.ficklemillennial.com
Thank you for stopping in Gina 🙂
It’s great to see that integrity is still out there and still important. 🙂
Thank you Loni. 🙂
Hi Erika, didnt hear from you for a while. I hope you are doing well. Have a lovely day today! ❤ ❤ ❤
Hi Anja. Thank you for checking in with me. That means a lot! It’s been a really busy few weeks. My kiddos went back to school. I will check in shortly 🙂
Hello Erika,
I must say great post. Happiness is indeed in small things, and when we stop notice those things, we will become unhappy. Happiness is not destination, it is lifestyle .Thank you
Thank you Ben. I really appreciate your feedback 🙂
Erika, thanks as always for your intelligent insights! Life definitely moves by too quickly, especially when children are in the mix, and sometimes we take for granted the simplest of things. My husband recently had foot surgery that has put him out of action for about 10 weeks. Not being able to go out and walk or run, or being restricted from playing with the kids in the back yard, or simpler things like driving and showering have been a real challenge for him. I try to be grateful for all of these “simple” things that allow all of the bigger opportunities that we have to become possible.