The Glacier and the Wave

Personality and Character. That's the topic of tonight's ramble.

The distinction is important. Dale Carnegie cites it as the distinguishing factor between a leader and a hypocrite. I call it the difference between the glacier and the wave.

A wave is a powerful thing; I think we all learned that about a year ago. It can overwhelm and flood and wash and change things - but not all things. It tosses and pushes and it retreats. It is not sustainable, it's not meant to be.

Personality is like that.

It has strength, but it is a flippant strength, exerted and relaxed. Some things it cannot move, and some things seem not even to notice its flood.

A glacier is a powerful thing. It moves like a mountain, slowly and confidently. Those things that don't move with it are forever changed by its passing. It will not be stopped or redirected. It will move at its pace until it has reached its end.

Character is like that.

It's not near so fun to watch as personality, but it's deeper, like the book instead of the movie.

It may not be a splashy or explosive, and the impatient might find it maddening, but character will move you.