It is a full time job being honest one moment at a time

The words of Jasmine Guy, graceful yet fierce, rise from the quiet chambers of truth: “It is a full-time job being honest one moment at a time, remembering to love, to honor, to respect. It is a practice, a discipline, worthy of every moment.”
In these words, she speaks not as an entertainer or artist, but as a seer of the soul, one who understands that virtue is not a single act but a daily labor, a sacred rhythm repeated through every breath and choice. Her message is as timeless as it is humbling — that honesty, love, honor, and respect are not occasional gestures, but a way of life, a discipline that demands vigilance of heart and mind. Like the tending of a flame, they require constancy, lest the light go out.

Jasmine Guy, an actress, dancer, and writer known for her roles on stage and screen, has lived her art through passion and perseverance. Yet beneath her career’s brilliance lies a deeper wisdom — the understanding that true greatness is not found in fame, but in integrity. Her quote reflects a truth often forgotten in the rush of modern life: that to live with authenticity is not easy. It is, as she says, a “full-time job,” a calling that asks us to remain present, accountable, and compassionate, even when the world tempts us toward deceit or indifference. For it is far easier to act righteously for a day than to practice virtue every moment — yet only through such practice is character forged.

Her words echo the teachings of the ancients, who believed that the moral life was not born of luck, but of discipline. The philosopher Aristotle spoke of virtue as habit — the repeated choice of good over evil, until goodness becomes one’s nature. Likewise, Jasmine Guy reminds us that being honest, loving, and respectful is not an accident of temperament but a spiritual exercise. The heart must be trained as the body is trained; the mind must be watched as a garden is weeded. Honesty must be spoken when it is difficult; love must be extended when it feels undeserved; respect must be given when pride whispers otherwise. These are not mere emotions — they are acts of will, renewed one moment at a time.

History offers many examples of those who lived by this discipline. Consider Mahatma Gandhi, who made truth — satyagraha, the “force of truth” — the center of his life and movement. To him, honesty was not only moral but sacred; it was a spiritual path that united all virtues. Each day, he examined his words, his actions, and even his thoughts, striving to align them with love and respect for all beings. His life was not perfect, but his persistence transformed both himself and the world. He embodied what Jasmine Guy declares: that the practice of virtue is not glamorous, but worthy of every moment, for it is the daily work of the soul’s liberation.

And yet, in our age, such constancy is rare. We live in a world that prizes convenience over truth, appearance over substance. People speak of love but forget to practice it when tested; they demand respect but withhold it from others. Honesty, that sacred bond between self and world, is often traded for comfort or gain. Jasmine Guy’s words serve as a gentle correction — a call to return to the discipline of sincerity, to live each moment as an offering to what is right and good. For truth and love, once neglected, fade not with a cry, but with silence — a silence that hollows the soul.

To “remember to love, to honor, to respect” is therefore not a burden, but a path to peace. When one lives with integrity, there is no need to hide or fear; when one honors others, one’s own dignity deepens; when one respects all life, one discovers unity with all creation. This is why Guy calls the practice “worthy of every moment” — because through it, every moment becomes sacred. Each small act of honesty or kindness builds a world in which goodness is not rare, but natural. In this way, discipline becomes joy, and moral effort becomes spiritual freedom.

So, my child, take this wisdom to heart. Live not by grand gestures, but by moment-to-moment truth. Let your words be clear, your actions sincere, your love steadfast, your respect unwavering. When you falter, begin again — for virtue is not in perfection, but in persistence. Tend to your soul as one tends to a flame: feed it with mindfulness, guard it from falsehood, and let its warmth reach others. For in this lifelong practice — this full-time work of honesty, love, honor, and respect — you will find the greatest reward: a life of peace, purpose, and grace, lived in harmony with the eternal laws that govern both heaven and the human heart.