Integrity

I went to bed early last night with a mild headache and slept really hard until about 6:30 this morning. Then I pulled out The Kite Runner and read for almost 2 hours until my home phone started ringing. No one ever calls me on my home phone, especially this early in the morning. I listened to the ring a couple more times and hesitantly got up to answer, thinking how disappointed I'd be if it were a telemarketer or someone like that.

I was surprised: it wasn't a telemarketer. It was my friend Integrity (his real name is Chris but I call him "Integrity" and he refers to himself as Integrity when he phones me or when we're hanging out). I was especially happy to hear his deep, crackly voice first thing in the morning.

More often than not, Integrity comes across as chipper and bright, all too happy to depart with the kind of sage wisdom that matches the rich tone of his voice. And I'm always too happy to be reminded by Integrity of the beauty that lies within and around me.

This morning I explained to Integrity how I was no short of elated to be alive, and to be full of opportunity to change whatever I thought needed changing in my life. Before my announcement I only halfway believed those words, but after saying them, I felt stronger in my resolve to make the most of my day.

I chatted with Integrity for a while longer, exchanging stories of loss and fantasies of gain. Then I closed my book, peeled myself out of bed, and proceeded to start my day by hand-screening some "Anything is Possible" t-shirts. By about the 4th t-shirt, I started to really get that anything was indeed possible. And for a brief spell, I felt really good about my life and all that I had done up until this day. I looked forward to the future. To being fearless. To being in integrity with my word.

Then I finished screening the last of the shirts and straightened up my apartment.