July 11, 2008

“Wow!  He doesn’t look very well.”

“Likely the result of premature aging from countless compromises with his conscience.”

At some point in life all of us have likely come across the story of a wooden puppet boy.  Perhaps we learned of him at the movies or in school or from the books that carry his name - Pinocchio.   You may remember that the Blue Fairy appointed a cricket named Jiminy to serve as the official conscience for Pinocchio.  All of us, as well, regardless of the span of our lives, have had appointed consciences.  Perhaps it was the voice of a mother, a caring teacher, or a trusted friend.  More importantly, we have felt for ourselves a sense of right and wrong.

Just as Pinocchio’s nose would grow when he failed to tell the truth, our lives are adversely impacted when conscience is ignored.  Trust is shattered.  Deals go south.  Relationships falter.  Friendships fail.  The burden of wrong choices slump shoulders once square with integrity.

My friend and I had not seen the man who is the subject of this edition of “They Said It” for several years.  We had known him as ruthless.  The decisions he made seemed centered not on what was best but on what was “best” for him.  He attained some measure of monetary success.  It came at a heavy price.  Belligerence, in the long haul, can often weigh more heavily on the truculent than on the bullied.

Upon seeing him again, I commented, “Wow!  He doesn’t look very well.”  My friend’s retort was nearly as brutal as the treatment this man had imposed on so many of his colleagues over the years, “Likely the result of premature aging from countless compromises with his conscience.”

In a memorable scene from the movie, Jiminy Cricket, the comical yet wise partner, is positioned on Pinocchio’s wooden feet, facing the puppet.  He teaches the boy to whistle and reminds us that when we face tough choices, we should pause, give a little whistle, and in his words, “always let your conscience be your guide”.

Sage advice for preventing wrinkles, long noses, and woebegone lives.