You ever come across people in your life that you think you know.. but you really have NO idea???.. Not me. Once a naïve small town girl, the past year has really allowed me to see the world for how it truly is-- without the rose colored glasses. In the whirlwind that has been the past year and a half of my life, I have come across thousands of people in all kinds of professions, on both a professional and personal level. And in dealing with this melting pot of people, life has showed me to never judge a book by its cover, while at the same time to trust no one completely because no one can protect your own neck the way you can.
My friends say I have a gift of being able to read people. It’s like… I have ESP..N.. or something. I know their story better than they do. Sure at first it’s probably the cliff notes version, but I can sense whether I am meeting them.. or the “them” they WANT me to meet. Like Chris Rock, I believe that when you meet some one for the first time, “you really aren’t meeting them.. you’re meeting their representative.” It’s only later once you begin to interact and share with that person do you get a sense for who they are, of their true character, and moral fiber.
What is moral fiber you ask?.. I myself am still trying to figure that one out. It’s certainly not something you acquire from eating your oatmeal, whole wheat toast, and bran flakes every morning. No, moral fiber is a general outlook a person has on life, based on their own personal values. It’s what makes us for better or for worse individuals. But Moral fiber can be so much more…
I was laying in bed the other night when I came across “The Girl Next Door.” Sure it was on television so it was heavily edited with all the “good scenes” removed, but the gist was still the same: Boy meets girl. Boy falls for Girl. Boy finds out Girl used to be in Adult Film Industry. Boy insults girl and makes her leave for Vegas. Boy goes all the way to Vegas to find the girl, where she denies him. Girl comes back to boy. Boy’s life is inevitably changed because of girl.
Essentially, it’s the Risky Business of my generation.
As Tom Cruise was taught “sometimes you just have to say… what the @#$!,” Matthew learns the value of finding that greater something in life that you have to take a risk on. That risk he describes... is what he calls his “moral fiber.”
Moral Fiber...
So...What is Moral Fiber.....??
It’s funny....I used to think that it was always telling the truth, doing good deeds, u know basically....being a f@#$ing boy scout.......But lately I have been seeing it differently......Now I think that moral fiber is about finding that one thing you really care about..........that one special thing that means more to you than anything else in the world........and when you find her, you fight for her......you risk it all......you put her in front of everything......Your future.....your life...all of it......and maybe the stuff you do to help her isn’t so clean......you know what??? It doesn’t matter.......because in your heart you know, that .. The juice is worth the squeeze.
That’s what Moral Fiber is all about...
It really got me thinking. It’s not about always playing it safe, or doing what everyone else wants you to… it’s about defining who you are as a person: Your values to be happy, to live your life to the fullest, and to know that you can live your life free of any regret. Life is really all about risks, on opportunities, on people, and on life. And no one gets to the top without taking a risk every now and then. Sure, you can look down, see the staggering depths below you and get scared every now and then… and that is perfectly ok. People will always be scared of the unknown. But sometimes its that “it” factor that someone has to accomplish this greatness in whatever it is they do to overcome this unknown that describes their moral fiber.
It’s about finding that one thing in life that motivates you, whether it’s a person, a job, a possession, or an ideal… to be a better you. You will risk anything for it, its success, and future even if it means you may face some disappointments or hardships along the way. The hard times will only make you a stronger individual, and will make the good times seem that much sweeter, because you will know that the “juice was worth the squeeze.”
That… truly is moral fiber. It can’t be faked, it can’t be taught, it just.. IS. I guess that is how I can spot the fakers a mile away, and pull the sheep’s clothing from the wolves. There are just some characteristics and actions in life that define who we are as a person. Without them, even the richest of men is a poor one.
You will meet many people along your walk through life’s journey. It’s up to you to sort out the genuine’s from the make-believe’s.
2 comments:
That's really well said. One thing is for sure...when you're a reporter or a journalist, you really get a firsthand view of the world. It's definitely a different picture than what TV or anything else portrays.
Hope to see ya in Wichita!
Jenn,
Another interesting post. I like the references to The Girl Next Door, one of my favorite "high school" comedies. Checking this definitely gives me something interesting to read in my utterly mundane job. Keep up the good work.
Question for you: with the Noles doing as well as they are on the hardcourt, are you or the Cowgirls planning a trip to the ACC tournament in Tampa in March? We are by default the "host" school so we need to represent.
- Jordi
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