ComedianGrouchoMarksaid“Thosearemyprinciples.Ifyoudon’tlikethemIhaveothers.”
YouandIhaveprinciplesandwealsohave 31 .IhaveopinionsaboutwhatIthinkisrightorwrongorgoodorbad.Butthey’reonlyopinions—Icouldbe 32 !Iwon’ttrytobuildmylife aroundmyopinions 33 I’lltrytokeeptomyprinciples.
A15-year-oldboylearnedavaluable 34 aboutlifeprinciples.Onedayhefoundawalletthat 35 $127aswellasawoman’s 36 .Hejumpedontohis 37 andwenttoherhouse.Hetoldherhefoundherwalletandshegavehimabig 38 .Shealsogavehimtwentydollars.
Thateveningtheboytoldhisparentsaboutthe 39 andhisfathersaid“Idon’tthinkyoushouldhave 40 $20fordoingwhatyoushouldhavedone.Apersonshouldn’tberewardedforbeing 41 .”
Heconsideredhisfather’sstatementand 42 thathewouldreturnthemoney.He 43 bikedtothelady’shomeandgaveherbackthemoney.Shedidn’twantto 44 itbuthetoldhershehadto—thathisfather 45 somethingtohimthathehad 46 realizedbefore.
Whenidealssuchashonestyandapersonalstandardofalwaysdoingtherightthingguideoureveryactionanddecisionwe 47 developagoodcharacter.Thesegreatprinciples 48 ourlivesandmakeusintoapersonof 49 .Theyteachconfidence.Thatboyis 50 toberaisedbyawisefatherwhohadthewisdomtosay“Thosearemyprinciples.”