One doesn't take the accurate measure of another by how much money they make, the successes they enjoy, the fame they accrue, nor even the adulation and acclaim of others. There is one sole metric, more critical than any other, by which not only those around us but we ourselves can truly understand our own base worth: character.We can forgive all kinds of failings of judgment and stumbling of actions in others, as well as ourselves, but we should never excuse lack of character. To have character is uniquely personal, a choice one makes repeatedly every single moment or flatly ignores.Equally, if we esteem others for their accomplishments but ignore or forgive their failings of character, we ourselves are grievously flawed.There is no absolving the absence of character.In varied life experiences of fighting forest fires, living in mountain toplookout towers, building my own homes, crafting fine furniture, raising sons, a many decades career in filmmaking and acting, and finally, basking in the ridiculous beauty of much-loved grandchildren, I have always sought out those whom I could esteem for their character. Finn's tale instructs us much about accepting our available choices in the throes of pain and embracing the seemingly impossible odds of the hero's journey.What Finn teaches us most about, however, is character. Patrick resides and writes in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
