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Written By Lou Scott

It takes more than a good resume, a stellar education, and a host of activities to land a good job or a seat on an important committee.

It takes a lifetime of commitment to developing a rich character as well having people in your life who want to help you, who may influence the direction in which your life is headed.

A formal education is important to be sure, but it won’t always get you where you want to go. Moreover, the idea of what constitutes a formal education changes through time. All the way from proficiency in reading, writing and arithmetic to receiving a bachelor or master’s degree, even beyond - the bar keeps going up and up.

What doesn’t change however, what is often the dealbreaker in success, is whether you are respected. Are you trustworthy, empathetic, a hard worker? Easy to be around? These are all “thumbs up” traits. People just like to be around likable people; it’s that simple.

Developing a good character begins at birth. Children mimic what they see. They see happy or unhappy faces, friendly or unfriendly voices. They are stimulated by conversation, and the ideas and words they hear. They are made aware by the colors, music, art and philosophy around them. That’s a good beginning, as well as one that can continue through life. And it is up to each one of us to inspire by example. I think of one of my nephews - how he always shows up, even when it’s inconvenient. He can be seen at weddings, funerals, graduations, children’s sports events (even children not his own) and so forth. That’s a powerful motivator. And even the envious, are proud of him, proud of his every success.

And I think of a church choir master who took an interest in a group of nine-year-old rude and very noisy triplets. Although not one of them had ever shown any proclivity for singing, they were invited to join the choir, one well known for its excellent voices. The triplets loudly protested.

Nonetheless, every Wednesday after school, their mother dragged them to church for individual music lessons. And every Thursday after school, she dragged them to church to practice with the choir. And, on every Sunday morning, their mother sits in a church pew, where the triplets are standing, sort of, in their burgundy robes, up there, singing in unison with the choir.

The triplets may not have been suddenly turned into children with exquisite behavior, but they have made great strides in selfdiscipline and consideration of others. Certainly these virtues are prerequisites of good character. And certainly, these are virtues that can be well practiced throughout everyone’s life, no matter his or her age.