I love looking at road maps - you know, the really detailed ones produced by AAA and Rand McNally. So, I was pleasantly surprised several years ago when walking out of a gas station/mini mart I saw a display of them that said: “enjoy a map for the road”. I took one, thinking they were free, and didn’t realize otherwise until my wife pointed out the price on the back. I was mortified and because we were miles down the road by then, I later stopped and paid for it on the return trip home. The clerk was surprised, but my conscience was clear. Just like 30 years ago when I was driving a group of employees to an airport in Florida, and I bumped into the car next to me in the parking garage. Everyone heard the crunch, and they all looked to see what I’d do. I guess I could have moved to another parking space and that other car’s owner would never know what happened, but I got out, left my card with a note on it, and we all went on to catch our plane: I didn’t want to disappoint myself, or those employees who were watching to see what I would do. Call it integrity or a conscience: do the right thing even when nobody is looking. Don’t disappoint yourself or others today.
Colin Powell (1937 – 2021): American politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States secretary of state
No comments:
Post a Comment