"Class rules," I remember reading on the corner of the fifth grade classroom. Stuff like "Respect each other," which just means don't throw erasers at each other or say things that will make someone cry. I don't think I ever threw an eraser. It's just seemed too dangerous.

Somewhere along the list, I remember a word that the teacher struggled to explain to bunch of youngsters.

"Integrity"

She probably said something along the lines of, "is like, doing the right things, being honest to yourself, being trustworthy." Easy axioms are vacuous, flying right over our ears. "Right things," "Honest," "Trust," give me a break.

Beyond those words, I think it carrys the sense of wholeness and oneness that is so hard to achieve and maintain. It's not about the quirky personality, expressive temperament, unique style- the color. Therefore it's one ruler for everyone. It's not about your integrity and my integrity. It's either having integrity or not.

Wholeness, I think of
  responsible
   understanding
     aware
      thinking
       well-grounded, as having a firm base, anchor, as to be
         quieter than confidence, louder than humility, more satisfaction than conceit, not complacent.

Simple compressed words are dense, vapid. I either have integrity or don't. But it's not 0 or 1. It must be more a gradient, an aura.

It seems as though it's a little early to dig it up, explicate it.

Mothagesso.