Why Our Values Matter

Our values matter because they are our legacy.

When I’m driving somewhere I don’t always listen to the radio. Sometimes I enjoy the sound of silence, but if I do listen to the radio during the day I usually tune into to NPR (National Public Radio for my overseas friends).  One day this week they were interviewing a musician, Peter Himmelman.

I had never heard of Mr. Himmelman but his story interested me. Here is a quote from the NPR story.

Throughout a career that’s spanned decades, he has chosen not to tour much, and not to spend endless weeks on the road hawking his albums, but instead to mostly stay home with his wife and four kids. He made this decision after the death of his father.

“In my priority list, right ahead of becoming a rich, famous rock star was becoming a good husband and a father,” Himmelman says.

How many rock stars, musicians, television personalities, sports ideols have you ever heard say that? But read on, the story gets even better.

The musician doesn’t hold just his family close to his heart, but his faith, as well. Himmelman, an Orthodox Jew, turned down an invitation to perform on The Tonight Show when it became apparent that the performance would fall on the Jewish holiday Sukkot. He has since performed on the show, but says his priorities are always clear to him.

“It really helps me to know that I have things, values, [that] simply can’t be purchased,” Himmelman says. In other words, our values matter.

Another example of someone who knew that values matter was Mother Teresa.

Wow. If I never hear a song by Mr. Himmelman or hear his name again, he has my respect. His interview made me think about what I value and what it would take for me to be bought. It made me think about our society and how most of us sell our time to various things that when it comes right down to it, don’t amount to a hill of beans (as my grandmother used to say).

I need to guard my time more wisely. I need to make sure I’m not “selling” my values.

How about you?