My Message

My life is my message. - Mahatma Gandhi mantra

I like to think I am a knight in shining armor, a man of integrity in a society desperately needing to experience integrity, a beacon of light shining in a world that needs hope, a world that wants to believe not all are selfish and self-centered, a world longing for someone that is caring, a world in search of at least one person to protect the widowed, hold the orphan, give a helping hand to the mistreated, share a kind word with the down trodden. This is the character I want to believe, need to believe exists at the core of my being and defines the person I am. But, deep down in those places I don't want to believe exist, I wonder, am I fooling myself, lying to myself, deceiving myself? So, I ask...

When you see my behaviors, what do you hear?
When you hear my actions scream my character, what do you see?
Does your eye set upon a loving individual or, yet, another a man that loves only himself?
Does your ear hear someone that values those he encounters or takes others for granted?
Do you see shining armor or armor tarnished by minor character flaws or a rusted bucket eaten away by character flaws that are acidic to my fellow man?
Does my heart shine a beacon of light in a world devoid of character, or does my heart melt into the black oblivion of uncaring humanity?
Are the words I speak congruent with the actions you see?

The things I do when I think no one is looking, not the words that flow honey sweet  from my lips, are an accurate reflection of my heart, reveal the man behind the mask, is, whether I like it or not, the message my life speaks.