12
the fence. If your heart is filled with unconditional
kindness and selflessness you can move mountains.
You can lead. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, "and now
these three remain: faith hope and love, but the
greatest of these is love." Why Love? Because
unconditional love is love without any conditions,
no boundaries. It is altruistic. Unselfish. Compas-
sionate. Kind. Public-spirited. "Daily life," says
Mahatma Gandhi, referencing love, "is saturated
with moments of cooperation and generosity –
between complete strangers! Let alone with one's
friends and family."
Question to ask yourself: How am I treating peo-
ple? Are my actions filled with love?
In Retrospect
Truth is the only firm ground to stand on. "One of
the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to
be compromised," says Nigerian novelist Chinua
Achebe. Always develop your character so you are
a person of integrity at all costs to everyone. Our
fraternity founding fathers at Yale University shared
a dream based upon shared values and shared com-
mitment to seek truth—truths that added to their
lives. Their legacy is the thousands of brothers that
have sustained that dream—men whose hearts are
committed to honesty, truth and love.
I once posed a challenge to the undergraduates at
Mu asking them about the words they frequently
repeat when singing For He's an Alpha Sig . . .
He's a man you ought to know. Why? It's a matter
of integrity. Our values should help those we meet
live better lives.
He's a gentleman and a scholar with a heart
beneath his vest. What does that mean? It means
people can trust us to be chivalrous, courteous, and
honorable men, especially toward women. We care!
He looks like all the others but he's better than the
rest. How? Because Alpha Sigs are morally upright;
they are honest and have strong moral principles.
He's a man you're sure to know! Why? Simply be-
cause men of unquestionable integrity always stick
out. That is why people are drawn to them.
So, take the challenge. Do the personal invento-
ry. Be the best man you can be. And, always, as
Gandhi suggests, "Be the change you wish to see in
the world."
