On my way to Vancouver, I read Henry Cloud’s book on character and integrity. The book is written well, simple and flowing language. It inspires me in certain ways, especially how to talk about character in interactive products and services. here is an extract from the book:

“in the same way that we metabolize food, we metabolize experience. Experience becomes our character, as we have seen earlier, just as food becomes the cellular makeup of our bodies. You are your experience, in certain ways. It shapes you and forms you, metabolically. You take  food in, then break it down into what is usable, and what is not. Your body takes the good part of the experience and keeps that to make new cells, energy and the like. ..in metabolizing experience, the process can break down in the same way. Taking in the good parts of a losing experience means that we learn what we can from the experience and take that forward as new “cells” of our character, meaning wisdom. Also, through persevering and continuing  to go forward and reengaging life, we develop strength, patience, hope, optimism, and a host of other important character traits that we will need to make things succeed.” -integrity: the courage to meet the demands of reality, henry cloud, page 163