Oh, That Just Hit The Fan...

"O human race born to fly upward, wherefore at a little wind dost thou fall." -Dante

I am a firm believer in the small things. Actions people carelessly do can be just as telling as their calculated ones. The way people use words matters, as does how a person treats another who can do them absolutely no good in terms of societal and/ or business advancement. Et cetera.

Last week, I had a brush with reality. My office mate and I both did, and it was a bitter pill to swallow. Fortunately for us, we had perspective and a clean conscious to work with, which makes the entire episode almost comical. I apologize for the vagueness with which I am writing, but here are my top three take-aways:

1. Stand by your man.

Not just a funny old country song- it's the value of a good person, and being a good person. By good person, I mean a person of character. It can be easy to make decisions under the pressure, when the iron strikes the fire, but I think it takes more gumption to avoid succumbing to the fire. Last week, gossip in the office took precedence over directly verifying facts. It was disconcerting, to say the least. Moreover, a good person may become an unlikely good friend and ally. If there is one thing my OM and I will take away from this, it is a lifelong bond and promise to be there for the other person, even when life takes us down separate roads.

2. A sense of decorum.

The standard for professionalism is losing its touch. Last week I blogged on dress codes, and this week I push the need to watch what one says. My OM and I have been witness of late to casual conversations in which personal stories about friends and family were told. We- and most norms of conversation etiquette- found it quite distasteful. Not that all personal stories can be bad; relating the story of when I cut off all my sister's hair when we were younger during a game of "The Parent Trap" isn't terribly telling to a general audience, for instance. Family drama, on the other hand, should not be brought up. Experiences in the past few weeks with individuals who lack certain values has been a big push for me to return southward.

3. Vocational Charades is coming to a halt!

Life is so short; and my time at this job?- the same. I love journalism, but it's not enough. I want to keep writing, but I want to do more. In the undisclosed future, I recently decided I'll be moving home, working for the family business and pursuing my Master's. The third decision was one I always knew I'd do eventually, but the first two are ones I've really wrestled with for the past couple years. In high school, I always saw myself leaving home for the non-discript "somewhere else." In college, I went out-of-state. After college, I came back in-state but not back home. I reason: if I'm going to do good work, I might as well give back to my family and hometown, who gave to me first.

More details later, but God is definitely pointing me through these trials. I love having more direction in my life, even if the variables are still a-plenty.

Here's an excerpt from an excellent piece I read today, which applies to many things occurring at present:

"There will always be a fringe, living in its own private madhouse, that will never accept truth regardless of how it is presented. There are three primary motivations at work in such individuals. The first part of this unholiest of trinities is blinding pride, an inability to accept anything other than ones own perception as truth no matter how flawed are the conclusions drawn from same. The second descends from this, that being a mixture of validation and ego gratification by convincing others to join in the crusade. Finally, there is the third element, which is also a result of the first: if you work it right, personal madness pays."

Also, last week I had two nerdy achievements:

1. On Tuesday, I got retweeted by The Atlantic. If you don't know why this is exciting, don't worry about it.

2. On Thursday, one of my articles got picked up by National Review Online.Yeah!

My current goal of the week: I am trying to not be idle and to do good in all things little. God tests us not in big ways, but small, and it is in our smallness that we can best be faithful to Him. It isn't easy, but I do love a good challenge! As Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. said, "Why is it the ship beats the waves when the waves are so many and the ship is one? The reason is that the ship has a purpose."
 (He was President Teddy Roosevelt's son, not the President himself.)

In other news, I am thoroughly enjoying The Chieftains station on Pandora. Blessings on your Monday!