Are you always fair?

There is a website called goodcharacter.com that provides educational resources for children.  It works on the principles that

• Your character is defined by what you do, not what you say or believe.
• Every choice you make helps define the kind of person you are choosing to be.
• Good character requires doing the right thing, even when it is costly or risky.
• You don’t have to take the worst behavior of others as a standard for yourself. You can choose to be better than that.
• What you do matters, and one person can make a big difference.
• The payoff for having good character is that it makes you a better person and it makes the world a better place.

This is what it says about HOW TO BE A FAIR PERSON

 Treat people the way you want to be treated.

 Take Turns.

 Tell the truth.

 Play by the rules.

 Think about how your actions will affect others.

 Listen to people with an open mind.

 Don’t blame others for your mistakes.

 Don’t take advantage of other people.

 Don’t play favorites.

We all talk a lot about being “fair”!  Indeed there is a lot of discussion about what being fair actually means! There is a lot of legislation aimed at trying to make sure we behave in a way that is fair.  But I wonder what we are really thinking when we use the word?  Would everything you have done over the last week or even over the last day at work and at home, really stand the test set out above.  Isn’t it clear that all those we meet, as well as our friends and family, might think better of us and seek our company more often, if we acted in accordance with these simple rules for children!  If you do happen to be someone who doesn’t think  this approach actually works, then all I’m asking is that you try it for a while, just try it!  You may be surprised!