It's the quality of the ordinary, the straight, the square, that

Hear the words of Gerald R. Ford, who declared with quiet strength: “It’s the quality of the ordinary, the straight, the square, that accounts for the great stability and success of our nation. It’s a quality to be proud of. But it’s a quality that many people seem to have neglected.” In these words lies the wisdom of a leader who rose not by seeking grandeur, but by embodying steadiness, simplicity, and duty. He reminds us that the foundation of nations is not built by dazzling spectacles alone, but by the ordinary virtues practiced faithfully by countless unseen souls.

What Ford calls the “straight” and the “square” is the ancient virtue of honesty, fairness, and steadiness. These are not the qualities that ignite sudden applause, nor the ones that inspire songs of heroism, yet they are the bedrock of civilization. A house may gleam with golden ornament, but if its foundation is weak, it will crumble. In the same way, a nation may boast of wealth and might, but if its people abandon the ordinary decency of truth, loyalty, and work, its greatness will rot from within.

History gives us shining examples. Consider Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer who left his plow to save his republic when it was in danger. He did not crave power, and when victory was won, he returned to his field. His greatness was not in conquering new lands or dazzling with brilliance, but in living faithfully the ordinary life of a citizen—straight, square, and devoted to the common good. Rome revered him not for extravagance, but for simplicity and duty.

So too in more recent times we see the quiet heroism of the American pioneers, who crossed plains and mountains not in search of spectacle, but out of steadfast determination to build homes, raise families, and keep faith with one another. Their virtues were ordinary: labor, perseverance, fairness, and prayer. Yet from their ordinariness was forged the stability of a nation. Without them, no constitution, no president, no army could have sustained the republic.

Ford laments that these ordinary qualities have been neglected. In an age hungry for novelty, spectacle, and the extraordinary, many despise the humble virtues as dull or unworthy of honor. Yet when these are lost, nations tremble. For it is not the brilliance of the few that holds a people together, but the faithfulness of the many. If honesty disappears from homes, if loyalty fades in friendships, if fairness dies in trade, then no law can save a nation from collapse.

The lesson, O seekers, is clear: cherish the ordinary virtues, for in them lies extraordinary strength. Do not despise being honest, even when dishonesty seems quicker. Do not dismiss loyalty, even when betrayal seems profitable. Do not neglect fairness, even when corruption appears to win. These are the straight and square foundations of a good life, and when multiplied across millions, they become the stability of nations.

Practically, this means to live with integrity in small things. Be faithful to promises. Speak truth even when it costs you. Treat others with fairness even when no one watches. Celebrate not only the dazzling acts of genius, but the daily acts of decency—the parent who provides, the worker who labors honestly, the friend who stands by another. These are the quiet pillars of greatness.

Thus, Gerald R. Ford’s words resound like a solemn hymn: “It’s the quality of the ordinary that accounts for the great stability and success of our nation.” Remember this, O children of tomorrow. Seek not only the extraordinary that dazzles, but the ordinary that endures. For in the end, it is the simple virtues—the straight, the square—that uphold empires, sustain families, and keep alive the flame of civilization.