Hats Off to Men of Integrity

James Wayne Anderson

One of the Good Guys

A few weeks ago my good friend, Pat, and I lingered over breakfast at Mimi's. Conversation had drifted from the state of our families to the state of the union and the most recent political scandal. I mentioned recently having gone over a scrapbook of letters to my grandfather, David Leland Harris, who had served in the State Legislature and State Senate of Wyoming from 1950 to 1960. One after another they expressed appreciation for my grandfather's courtesy, ability, and integrity.

According to those letters he was a man with the skill, expertness, and willingness to do what needed to be done. He was a man of courtesy who used words with care. And he was counted as a man who would do what he said he would do, a man who dealt with others on the basis of sound moral principles, honesty, and sincerity.

Those are very fine and in the today's world rare accolades--at least according to media, movies, and popular literature. But when I showed my grandsons, Isaac and Josh, Grandpa Leland's scrapbook and asked them if they knew any men of integrity, Josh promptly said, "The prophet." When I asked if they could think of someone closer in their lives who was a "good man", without hesitation they both said their dad (Reed Watson). Then I asked them who they knew who always did what he said he would do and they said, "Grandpa!"

They were right. Grandpa Jim is a man dedicated to meeting his obligation at work, keeping his word to his family, honoring his callings in the Church and his priesthood, and especially honoring his temple covenants. He's one of the good guys. I have seen him struggle in circumstances where backing out or doing less than he has committed doing would be the easier way, but he always shakes his head, tightens his jaw and says, "Nope, I have to be there. I said I would."

I am a lucky woman to be married to a man with those character strengths. I am even luckier to have raised two fine sons, Daniel Wayne Anderson and Nicholas James Anderson, who share their father's dedication to honor and integrity, to doing what they say they will do, and being available to their families. I have two sons-in-law as well, Reed Watson and Edward Hughes, who are men their sons can look up to as examples of what good men should be.

Hats off to all of you. We love and honor you. We are grateful to have you in our lives!

Good men. Men of honor and honesty. Men to looking up to. They may not be newsprint worthy or meat for the media but they are due praise and appreciation. So who are the good men in your lives? This Father's Day look for them--men who are fathers of integrity, and men and boys who have that potential, and let them know they are loved and honored for who they are and who they may become.