Ballou High School ​Visual Arts Department
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Sometimes It's Hard To Do The Right Thing...

9/20/2014

 
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This week I signed many recommendations forms recommending some of you to the "Ladies of Distinction"  and the "Men of Excellence" clubs. I was proud to sign the forms that I did because all of you who asked me truly had the characteristics that the clubs were looking for: Young men and woman of honor.

Signing the forms and writing letters of recommendation caused me to really think about what 'honor' really means. As I always do, I looked it up. 


Honor:  noun 
1. honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions:  "a man of honor".
noun, plural honesties.
1.the quality or fact of being honest; uprightness and fairness.2.truthfulness, sincerity, or frankness.
3.freedom from deceit or fraud.


After I read the definition, I thought to myself, "It is harder to have honor and do the right thing at times than it is to act dishonorably", let me explain.


If you find a dollar on the floor of a classroom and you are hungry and want to buy something from the vending machine, do you turn the money in to the teacher or stick it in your pocket? The honorable thing to do would be to turn the money in, right? But you are hungry, no one is looking...what do you do?


You don't have a cell phone, or yours is old and cracked. You find a new cell phone in the hallway, you pick it up...what do you do?


You made a poor choice and you got caught. You regret your decision but instead of being honest and apologizing you tell a lie to get yourself out of trouble. Now you not only did the wrong thing but now you are a liar...is that honorable?


You didn't study for an exam, but you sit close enough to copy off of another students' test...you panic and then make the decision to cheat...is that honorable?


So, I go back to what I stated earlier, "Sometimes it is hard to do the honorable thing". It is easy to just pick the money or cell phone off the floor and keep on walking. It's easy to cheat and lie...it's hard to tell the truth at times!


 Yet, I truly believe that honor attracts honor. When you are honorable then good things will come your way. You will be raised up above the ones who take the easy way out. These two clubs are a perfect example of how the honorable students are raised up above those who would never qualify. It is an HONOR to be chosen to be in the clubs.


Trust me guys, when I tell you that I have been faced with the choice of holding onto my integrity and honor, or taking the easy way out in life many times! I see so many of my friends, especially my lady friends lose their integrity and honor in life by taking advantage of others to get what they want. Some people label them 'gold diggers'.  But not me! I would rather live in a humble apartment and work for the rest of my life before I act dishonorably. 


I will hold on to my integrity and honor until the day I die. I will not live a life of fraud or deceit. When I lay my head on my pillow at night, I would rather my belly be hungry than my character be one of a thief! I would rather take the punishment for one of my offenses than to go to bed a liar. I could  never look at someone in the eyes and lie to them. My heart would start beating fast and I would quickly confess my lie. I don't like feeling bad...I like feeling good about myself. But, I will admit, it is hard to do the right thing!


My life could be a life of leisure if I lowered my honor and integrity and just 'took the deal' that some people have offered me in the last few years...but I won't. I will wait...I will act honorably at all times...I will hold onto my integrity!


Kudos to all of you who have made the same choice in life. Ours will be a life of peace in our hearts, mind, and soul. The others who chose to act without integrity...it will catch up with them someday, trust me on this! Love, Ms. B.


"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out". Proverbs







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    Donna Bonavia

    I am an art educator and  a professional artist. I write this blog to guide my students in  (SEL) social, emotional, and academic development. S.E.L. is the District of Columbia Public School's priority because we believe that we must educate the whole child.


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    Yale National Initiative
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    2015 Teacher of The Year Blanche Ely High School

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    This work by Donna Bonavia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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