Connie's Corner

A thoughtful prompt...

July 28 Prompt - Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

I believe we are constantly building our character. Everyday we are confronted with situations where we must act or react. Character, good and bad, is usually determined by a preponderance of the evidence, and hopefully that evidence will show good character and the jury will come back with the right decision.

As hinted in Emerson's quote, character is part of our thought process and so it is part of our intellect. Many times intelligence is a gift whereas character is a choice. It is ourselves, though, who must make the intelligent choices and this happens on a daily basis.

For example, if you all are like me, when I am tired or worried about something, I'm grouchy. Now I would be the last to admit I have a grouchy character, but sometimes I am grouchy, and just like in the sentence above, I have to give an excuse for it. That proves I know it is not good character to be grouchy. My brain or intellect knows this, but I am not strong enough to live what I know. And that, I think, is what Emerson means by his quote.

Following are two of my favorites on character...

It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them. ~ Mark Twain.

A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another's. ~ Jean Paul Richter

until next time...c