Brandon Martinez

ERWC

Mrs. Hooks

10 April 2019

Integrity Essay

If my life were to be represented by a shoe, my integrity would be represented by the

laces. Integrity is what keeps all the other elements of my life together and without it, it would be

almost impossible to put all of my other good qualities to use.

The framework of my life could be represented by the fabric that the majority of the shoe

is made out of, meaning that this fabric is representative of my actual being as a whole. Without

this fabric, there is no shoe. The same goes for my physical presence, without me there is no me.

Just as there are multiple different parts of my body, there are multiple different parts to the body

of this shoe. I have a head and arms and legs, this shoe has a sole and a tongue and a heel. In this

way, my life is structured similarly to a shoe. Just as there are many different people with many

personalities, there are a plethora of different style shoes. If everyone’s life were to be

represented by a shoe, no two shoes would be the same. I like to think my shoe would have a

super cool tie dye pattern making me very unique. The pattern on the fabric of my shoe would be

what sets me apart and makes me attractive. In relation to my life, this pattern would represent a

personality. My personality is what makes me unique. Nobody out there is exactly like me, I’m

sure. Everyone has their own different values, morals, sense of humor, and the like. Mine are

what sets me apart from everyone else. The structure of this shoe and my life are similar in that
there are many different parts that serve different functions, and the style of the shoe, which is

what makes it unique, is similar to the way that my personality sets me apart in my life.

The laces of the shoe are what hold the entire thing together and are also what gives the

shoe a function, similar to the way that my integrity holds my life together and gives me a sense

of wholeness. Without the laces, the shoe would be too loose and would continue to fall off or be

uncomfortable. This is similar to the way that integrity functions in my life. Without integrity, I

would be a mess. I wouldn’t be able to give a good effort towards anything without integrity.

Integrity keeps me honest. Integrity gives me a purpose. Similar to how a shoe would fall off

without the laces, my life would fall apart without integrity. Thanks to integrity, I can live my

life with a sense of completion and purpose. The laces allow for the shoe to keep moving

forward with purpose and stability, similar to how integrity plays a role in my life. Integrity also

protects me from stressors in my life by reminding me that I can accomplish anything when I

give my best effort, take my time, and focus. Integrity gives me strength, similar to how the laces

of a shoe keep the shoe from slipping off when you step in a sticky, muddy puddle. If all the

stressors in my life were represented by a muddy puddle, the laces are what keeps the shoe from

slipping off when the shoe steps in that puddle. If it weren’t for integrity, I would fall apart in the

face of stress, but thanks to integrity and my shoe laces, I know that I’ll be able to handle

whatever I am faced with.

Just as I plan on living a long and prosperous life, the shoe that represents my life has an

extremely durable steel toe, providing me with a sense of trust that my shoe can make it through

anything and won’t wear down over time. Not all aspects and areas of my life can be this strong

all the time however, which is why only the toe is made of steel. If all other parts of my life were
this hardened, I wouldn’t be able to have very much fun. I’d imagine I would just be a very cut

and dry, boring human being. If my entire shoe was made out of steel, that just wouldn’t be very

comfortable at all. That would not be a shoe I would enjoy wearing. The source that gives this

shoe direction is the person wearing it. In relation to my life, this would mean that I am the only

person in control of what direction my life goes. Nobody can tell me what I am and am not

capable of doing. Nobody can tell me where I’ve been or where I’m going. I am the only one

who is in command of my destiny. This is not to say that I’m here to do what I want all the time

regardless of other people’s opinions. I have and will continue to listen to the advice of others,

but at the end of the day, I’m the one in control of my life and I don’t plan on letting anyone

steer me in a direction I don’t want to go. In relation to the shoe, nobody else is allowed to wear

my shoes. I’m the only one who gets to wear my shoes.