Integrity: A Lesson from a Pillow Fight

Dear friends, I’d like to share a story with you today, a tale from my youth that taught me a valuable lesson about integrity. It’s a story that involves a pillow fight, of all things. Yes, you heard it right, a pillow fight. But before we dive into the story, let’s take a moment to understand what integrity truly means.

What is Integrity?

Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. It’s about doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. It’s about being true to yourself and others, even when it’s not the easiest path to take. Now, let’s see how a pillow fight taught me this important life lesson.

The Pillow Fight

Many moons ago, when I was just a young lad, my friends and I decided to have a pillow fight. It was a tradition in our neighborhood, a rite of passage if you will. The rules were simple: no hard objects inside the pillows, and no hitting below the belt.

One of my friends, let’s call him John, was always the competitive type. He hated losing more than anything. So, on the day of the pillow fight, he decided to cheat. He put a small, hard object inside his pillow, hoping it would give him an edge.

The Lesson

During the fight, John’s pillow hit me square in the face. It hurt, a lot more than a pillow should. I knew immediately that something was off. But instead of calling him out, I decided to continue the fight. I didn’t want to be the one to ruin the fun.

After the fight, I confronted John privately. I told him I knew about the hard object in his pillow. He was shocked, but he didn’t deny it. He apologized and promised never to cheat again. And he kept his word.

That day, I learned two important lessons about integrity. First, it’s not about winning or losing, but about playing the game fairly. And second, it’s about holding others accountable for their actions, but doing so in a respectful and private manner.

Integrity is a virtue that we should all strive to uphold, in pillow fights and in life. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. So, my dear friends, let’s strive to be people of integrity, people who do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

Until next time,

Kev