Adventures in Integrity Land

Well, yesterday was an eventful day for Lady Sheridanne, as she wandered aimlessly through her wondrous and wonder-filled virtual world, struggling to unravel the vexing problem that has caused her to lose sleep in her real world.

What of this marriage to the great Turner?

"He who thinks I must be obeyed" has no time for his wife, due to a variety of factors (all of which are mysterious) and she needs time with him to ensure her sanity (mentally and physically (Yes, Virginia, there is a virtual Santa Clause!)) and she needs to lean on his strength and gain his assurances right now.

Meanwhile back at the SIM (simulation for the substitute real world) where she has lived almost her entire virtual life, she is accosted by every virtual friend she has, pleading the case for the long-term love of her virtual life, who now lies in a broken heap wondering "Why?"

So she seeks council from those who are hopefully wise in these matters:

There is S: "Just do what I told you - and all your troubles would be over. (gee I sound arrogant!!)" He also told me if I need to take time, just in essence come up with the right answer - divorce."

There is R: "Well...to HELL with everyone...tis your future you know, choose with your heart."

There is Am: "You are mad from all the stress of your realm. Just divorce now and without delay, the sooner the better."

There is An: "You do what you need to do, and remove yourself from the place that you are involved in now and be with him. You show him that you made that sacrifice for him, and that you want to be with him, and I will talk to him on your behalf. But, if you chose to stay within the situation you are in, I wont allow him to be hurt - regardless of out real life issues. He is important to me. So you make a choice. You can have me stand beside you to get him back or you can leave him alone and go on doing what you are doing with people that dont care anything about you, like he too often does."

There is T: "You try to manage other people's emotions, and you forget yours. Everyone comes here to tell you how much he is hurt from you. It is just pain and guilt. Hey, you have the right to be happy and joyful. [Sheridanne Kelley: But I made the decision and everyone is mad and short with me. And they are abandoning me when I most need them.] Well they can go to hell -- even me if I do the same. You are great company for yourself. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF NOW --HE IS TRYING TO HURT YOU WITH HIS PAIN!!!!!

"Do you know why I didn't play the in-love game with you? Because I wanted you to be free. Not to fall in the trap of my emotions. If he loves you he has to accept your choice, or else he is just another one who tries to control you."

And then there is the lover himself: "Divorce and be single and we will return to things as they were."

What is a virtual woman supposed to do?

On one side there is the promised delight of her new virtual (although, always busy (are you getting the message yet?)) new husband, who by the way, questions her ability to "take out the trash" and also advises that she is to get a "street legal honeymoon" and "if she lives she might even get a wedding".

On the other is the remarkable ease of a virtual divorce, that only costs about $0.09 in US dollars and takes but one little mouse click. BTW (by the way for those not in the know) this easy and painless option automatically pops up as a greeting every time she opens the home page of the virtual world.

Back to Integrity

So, as I was writing my daily morning column, not surprisingly, the topic of INTEGRITY came up again and I had to do a word study on it. Let me share what I found about this very powerful and poorly understood word.

INTEGRITY means:

Moral excellence, honesty, wholeness, soundness, the one number (integer in Latin). Strict adherence to moral values and principles. Uprightness. The quality or state of being whole and unimpaired. Simplicity and sincerity of the heart and intention. Singleness of purpose. Truthfulness, innocence, complete, perfect, entire, genuine. All of which is fundamental to true character.

Why this Pickle?

What is Lady Sheridanne's sin? Why is she loosing sleep for a silly game? She failed to adhere to the integrity of her heart....she failed to delay her decision, so she could break the news in an honourable way to her previous suitor -- so he could argue for his rights.

So there is guilt! As well as the accusations and shock of her friends and acquaintances who know the consistency of her behaviour over time.

But she married the great Turner -- she and he said their vows in her little makeshift church in the woods -- and they said these vows from their heart and to the God they both share and revere in virtual and real life -- they are binding of the heart.

She cannot and will not and wishes not to break these vows she has taken, because she sees the awesome sanctity of them (although awaits the Turner-promised "wedding to end all weddings").

Was she in her right mind when she took these vows? Good question to be sure, but the fact remains, she promised God she would keep her vow to the great Turner and for her part, she is determined not to break them. And by this reassert her integrity.

She will lose the best friend she ever had over this. She will lose the respect of many, if not most of her friends in her realm. And maybe this is a fitting price to pay for her momentary lapse of her own personal integrity. And as the great Turner reminded her: "Life is pain, princess. Anyone else who tells you differently is trying to sell you something!"