Article November 4, 2019 Issue

Character matters

Elizabeth Mata

A version of this article was published in The Christian Science Monitor’s Christian Science Perspective column, August 26, 2019.

When I read the opening comments about Toni Morrison’s legacy of leaving “an indelible mark on America” in The Christian Science Monitor Daily for August 6, something clicked. Recently I discovered that the Greek word kharaktēr, from which the English character is derived, means “engraved mark” as well as “instrument for marking.” I saw how this meaning of character certainly applies to the impress of Ms. Morrison’s life on humanity, as she not only “unflinchingly plumbed” difficult subjects, such as racism and rage, but did it with empathy and the ability to help others see their own value.

My takeaway from that short read? Character matters.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what really undergirds character. Partly because I just want to do better. But also because in the apparent climate of distrust and rage often ignited by harsh rhetoric and an “us and them” viewpoint, it almost seems as if the importance of character, as well as even character itself, is being sidelined by reaction.

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