I’m sure many Americans already think we are a good neighbor in the world community, but citizens of other nations don’t necessarily agree.
They see us in a very different way than we see ourselves, which is not at all unusual, but that doesn’t mean we should not pay attention to them.
There are things we might think about that could help bridge the gap between how we see ourselves and how others see us.
Actually I think we already know what these things are, these qualities are, because we all learned about them growing up. Indeed, there are qualities we see (or don’t see) in each other that have become unofficial standards we use to judge what makes someone a good person.
So when I once asked a woman what she thought of her new minister and she replied, “Well, he’s kind of a braggot” (a slang word for self-centeredness), I knew exactly what she was saying and it was not a pretty picture.
There are qualities that make people attractive and unattractive beyond physical appearance, that make them likeable and unlikeable, that explain why they are respected or disrespected by those who know them well.
It is curious to me, though, that we seldom apply these qualities to ourselves as a country. If we did we might have a better basis on which to measure just how close we actually are to being the nation many of us think we already are.
With that in mind I decided to give it a try. Below is a list of individual character traits I believe if applied to ourselves as a nation might help us see what kind of nation we really are, might help us understand better how other nations see us, and might even lead us to think more carefully about what we say and how we act in the world. Let me know what you think.
Birth is a reminder that dependency is the nature of life.
Living is an opportunity, not a privilege.
The goodness of life is discovered, not invented.
Friends are just as human as you are.
Lifting someone up is better than stepping on them.
Side by side makes the trip shorter.
If you break in line you are still the rear end.
Those who talk about being the greatest usually aren’t.
Bullies usually end up with very few friends.
Looking before you leap avoids a lot of bad landings.
No matter how big your gun is someone else has one bigger.
The truth that sets you free first makes you uncomfortable.
Hypocrisy is the sign of an empty life.
Who you really are will outlive who you want others to think you are.
Trying to get ahead is a competition with yourself.
A second chance depends on what you learned from the first one.
How you lose is more important than how many times you win.
Getting along is better than just getting by.
Don’t mess up what you can’t clean up.
Doing right matters more than being right.
Seeing what’s there involves more than your eyes.
You have to be committed to the future to put the past behind you.
True greatness is bestowed, not achieved.
A good life is defined by what you give, not what you get.
History tells you as much about where to go as where you’ve been.
linnposts.com 
Wow! I took a day trip yesterday. Where did everyone else go? Thought I’d be comment number 8 or 10. Anyway, Jan, I really think you’ve put together a great list of traits worth pondering and aspiring to. I like them all but your first one really strikes a chord with me. I think, in this country of “rugged individualists” in particular, recognizing we all need the temporal support and camaraderie of others, a community beyond just family, and that we need the spiritual support of our creator, to help us transcend the pain and chaos imbedded in the world, are both crucial. We are always dependent to some extent. Thus the heartfelt need for all of us to be humble and grateful for the many others in our lives. Thank you for this post.
Thanks, Bob. Not sure why no one has responded and/or read it. Reactions to posts are very unpredictable.
Another of your Classics. I think if everyone tried a bit to live by your list, the world would be much better place.