It is my mission in everything I do to keep three aspects of life in mind at all times: freedom, integrity, and truth. Freedom to me is control of one's time and resources. No one should ever have to answer to another about how he uses his money, where and when he chooses to travel, and what he holds in the highest priority. However, we are on this earth with other people. Those people occasionally have need of our resources. Integrity is about doing what is right. If someone needs what we have, truly needs it, and we have the freedom to decide, integrity is choosing to give. Even if we are free from the control of other people, we still are subject to the bounds of truth. Violating or manipulating truth undermines integrity, and collapses our freedom.
Think of these three components in the building of a skyscraper. As the saying goes: "Sky's the limit." A skyscraper makes use of limitless vertical space. It can turn a city block into hundreds of times the space with vast possibilities for use. Skyscrapers hold shopping centers, apartments, offices, etc. Business within those walls invests in new technologies, builds retirement plans, manages international trade, puts together travel packages, promotes local events, finds cures for diseases, aids the poor, and promotes creative thinking. This vertical space is freedom... limitless space for anything we dream of.
None of this freedom is possible without integrity. What does integrity mean? It means that something is solid and trustworthy. It is something in which we can place our faith; it is something which we can rely upon. When space was at a premium in the first large, industrial cities, engineers began to look to the sky for a solution. They began to build upward with the materials of the day: namely, brick. They soon found out that brick could only support its own weight up to five stories. If they built any higher, the lack of integrity would cause the whole building to collapse. If a greedy housing mogul instructed the builders to disregard this fact, or hired builders who were unaware of this fact, he is doomed to catastrophic failure. He may get away with it for a while, but when the first tremor or severe windstorm occurs, things could get ugly.
Truth is what one starts with: the bare city block. Of course, it is limited in two dimensions (the very reason to build upward). It is usually above underground mains and subway tunnels. The soil has a certain makeup which might restrict the height and materials to be used. The weather or seismic activity may become a factor. Certain ordinances and restrictions might come to bear because of what is nearby. All things considered, a plan must be put in order. The proposed building must be envisioned and drawn out in painstaking detail. This process goes on for some time before a single block is laid.
With expert planning and a detailed understanding of the facts, a building can be raised in the most efficient manner, maintaining stability for years. However, brick is not the only building material possible. Outside of the specific building project, experts are also be engaged in developing new materials with which to build. Eventually, steel was invented, taking the lid off the height of buildings. An increase in the integrity of the structure lead to a vast increase in the amount of freedom.
What does this all mean? Each of us is born a vacant city lot. Over the years, we hold playgrounds, art displays, stage events, and family functions. Eventually, we hold a museum, a store, or a restaurant. Then the need for something greater prompts us to grow. We reach for our potential. We may lay dormant for a while, a hole in the ground, shrouded by a wooden fence. But we are being built. Then, when we have an understanding of the truth, we stop playing small and begin to reach for the heavens. We grow up and leave a legacy for thousands to use.
Realize the truth, do what is right, and you will earn your freedom.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment