ORDERLINESS vs. disorganization

Definition: Arranging myself and my surroundings to achieve the greatest efficiency.

Object lesson from nature: The chipmunk

The chipmunk keeps his burrows neat and free of dirt and waste by thoroughly cleaning his surroundings and removing piles of dirt from the burrow entrance. This is a matter of life and death for the chipmunk, because if hungry predators could smell the burrow’s contents or see the dirt by the entranceway, they would lie in ambush and kill the chipmunk when it came out of its home. There is a place for everything in the burrow, thus maximizing the limited room area. The chipmunk stores all the food in an efficient manner, carefully arranging the piles of seeds and berries in separate piles. We need to keep our rooms and homes spotless and sparkling not only for health reasons but to reflect the character quality of orderliness. We should follow the chipmunk’s example and do “all things decently and in order.”

Application: I will…

This material is gathered from the Character First Education series, Volume 1.  It can be purchased at the Character First!® website.