Meditation of the week: Character

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Meditation of the week from cybermonks

http://www.interluderetreat.com/

 

Character

 

" Character is that which reveals moral purpose, exposing the class of

things a man chooses and avoids. "

- Aristotle, Greek philosopher (384-322 B.C.)

 

What is more important to you:

a) To be wealthy?

b) To be powerful?

c) To be attractive?

d) To be happy?

e) To be a person of good character?

 

One can easily prove by looking through magazines about celebrities

that wealth, power and attractiveness do not lead to persistent

happiness. Can a person without good character be happy for long?

 

What do we mean by good character? Let's say it is a persistent

tendency of a person to make ethical choices. It shows itself in how we

treat others and in the actions we take when we think nobody is

looking. It suggests an adherence to a moral code and a benign

relationship with one's family and community. In this century, for many

of us, good character would include the meaning of having a

good-hearted relationship with humanity beyond one's local community

and a proper respect for the planet.

 

French journalist Alphonse Karr said, " Every man has three characters:

that which he shows, that which he has, and that which he thinks he

has. " The character others see may not be true, because they don't have

all the information. The character we think we have is subject to

self-delusion. We may hide our weaknesses from ourselves, because the

inconsistency between our ideal self and our actual behavior is too

painful to contemplate. If we are to be whole and authentic persons,

however, we had better look at ourselves with clear eyes and

investigate the shadows of our character.

 

An intention to be of good character can be a moral compass. When

dubious choices present themselves we can ask ourselves, " If I am a

person of good character, do I do what I am thinking of doing? " This

question can cut through the fears and selfish desires that take us off

the path we'd hope to tread.

 

Cultivating good character would seem to be a worthy goal, and still

there is what Woodrow Wilson said about it: " If you will think about

what you ought to do for other people, your character will take care of

itself. Character is a by-product, and any man who devotes himself to

its cultivation in his own case will become a selfish prig. " Seems like

a lovely paradox. And the way out of it is to minimize the puffing up

of self and focus on the well-being of others. When we serve, we

develop character. When we cultivate loving-kindness good character

follows.