Pick 52 - Character

Back in my school days traits like persistence, curiosity, self-control, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence were actually taught in school and at home. There were no tests to determine how much character training we had absorbed each month. No text books or other training devices were used to instill these traits but, somehow both our parents and our teachers knew if we were making progress or not.

Looking back, I suspect our parents measured our progress against their own. Like that old saying: "the apple does not fall far from the tree." If our father lacked persistence, he expected us to pick up the slack and finish what we had started. If our mother lacked self-confidence, we were expected to overflow with it. No. There were never any direct scoldings or pressure about persistence and self-confidence. It was more like nurturing; that subtle smile when you finished a difficult task, the words of encouragement whenever you tried out for the team or a part in the school play. They were little character building exercises taught using the activities of daily life.

Our teachers used a different yardstick. They measured us against our classmates and in many cases against the results they had attained with students who had gone before us. These days we consider it unfair and even prejudicial for teachers to make comparisons like that. But we need to remember that in those days incidents such as Columbine and Sandy Hook were unthinkable.  And therein may be the hidden value in ad hoc character building lessons. They not only taught us about the importance of  character, they taught us how to nourish it in ourselves and in others.

It is too bad that guns are so much easier to obtain than good character.  

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