Character

I am one who really enjoys being inspired. Most often, inspiration comes at times and in people you don't expect.

While I am a conservative, politically, I haven't been too interested in the upcoming presidential election. You've probably noticed that in the past couple weeks, my attention has been grabbed. I find this particular season of our country's political process very compelling. Conventions are very intriguing. You see men and women, who only months ago were bitter rivals competing for the highest position in the land, suddenly become staunch and passionate allies. You see the battle of rhetoric and sound byte-worthy quotes and responses. Party line talking points, etc.

A couple things have grabbed my heart this week, however. And before you brush it off as my partisanship, please read on.

First, in listening to different speeches at the RNC this week, I learned something about John McCain that I didn't know. Maybe everyone knew this and I'm slow or I just had my head buried in the sand until now. I learned that while McCain was a prisoner of war in Viet Nam, he was offered an early release due to his injuries sustained in his plane crash and torture. While I don't think anyone would have blamed him for accepting, he turned it down in favor of prisoners who had been held captive longer, and by virtue of that, deserved to be released ahead of him. I'm certain that Mr. McCain's thoughts were not of the political collateral this decision would hold later in life, you know...just in case he survived and decided to enter politics. But simply because it was the right thing to do. I don't agree with all of McCain's policies, but that speaks volumes to me about his character. I believe I can trust a person in the White House whose life holds such examples of putting others before his own best interest. This inspires me. I honestly don't know I would have had the courage and character to do what he did. I want someone in the White House who is a better person than I am.

The second example this week came in the form of a 7 year old girl and her 4 month old baby brother. While her mother was delivering the most important speech of her life, before the world...little Piper Palin was holding her little brother, Trig. While the media wants us to question the quality of parenting offered by Sarah and Todd, this spontaneous moment captured by the television camera proves to me that this is no ordinary family. At least no ordinary political family. Maybe it proves that they're really very ordinary in a real world sense. This was not a choreographed move by some media savvy political advisor. This was a raw moment which proved to me that no matter what is going on around them, this family is going to stick together and take care of one another. This is evidence, to me, that what-you-see-is-what-you get when it comes to the Palin family. How refreshing is this in today's political climate?

Today, find something to inspire you, and inspire someone with your life. Tomorrow...do it again!