Principles of Principals

Some of you have heard the parable of the boy who leaves a splitting wedge in the nape of a young tree on his way in the house when called to dinner.  Days go by, then months turn to years, all the while he intends to return the wedge to the shed.  In his adulthood, a violent evening storm strikes his home, and in the morning he awakes to find his beloved tree split - exposing the long-forgotten wedge, precisely in it's hurried resting place.  Frustrated he gathers the remnants of the tree that once provided shade to his home and lofty heights to his children. In our haste, fast-paced as our lives have become, have we placed an errant mental, physical or spiritual wedge in places that may cause us future grief or frustration?  What potential consequences may distract or overwhelm us in the midst of a seemingly focused life?  Wedges or wedgies...it matters little.  Fact is, if we have them, we're stuck.  Something's between us and where we want to be...

I wear Argyle socks almost every single day.  I've done so, off and on, since high school.  Even going to an obnoxious level of wrestling in them...drove Coach Manown and some of my team bananas.  You might say it's  a bit of a personal trademark. As I've grown, personally and professionally, I've become an ardent observer of people.  I adore the human race, in all it's quirkiness.  In my profession, I've noticed that most of my colleagues have habits of dress or accouterments , like personal trademarks, that set them apart from others. They range from Sponge Bob ties, exclusive Polo logos on all shirts, Moleskine notebooks & certain coffee house beverages glued to their desks.  Intriguing to me on so many levels - how have we adopted these traits or habits, such that they've become a part of our public identities? I wonder...what would happen if we were known by our overwhelming demonstration of character traits?  What would t...