This was, as most of us know, a famous excerpt from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Many people have their own theory of what it means – this is mine.
“To Thine Own Self Be True”, to me, means that I have to conduct myself in a way that will not make me cringe when I look at my conduct, words or ethics. Now there are times when we all do something foolish. Perhaps that is just the nature of humanity. What I’m talking about here goes far more to the core of my being.
In various circles or societies, things are accepted or shunned. Perhaps that societal influence has a significant impact on our interpretation of “right and wrong”. I like to think, however, that for most of us, myself included, these things (right and wrong) are far more “hard wired” into our psyche than driven by environmentally influenced.
Because I think most of us, on a fundamental level, believe we are “good” people, this, however, is a fluid standard. That is why the barometer I like to use is the “mirror” test. If I can look at myself in the mirror while shaving/washing/brushing my teeth and I’m not ashamed of what I see, I’m ok.
I wonder how many people, if being completely honest with themselves, could pass that test.
Another barometer is the “kid test”. Simply put, would I want my children emulating the behavior (or words or ethics) that I am exhibiting? .Now, I am not talking about age appropriate behavior here, such as having cocktail or similar things.
We all have our own gauges. The big issue is making sure they are properly calibrated.
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
