A woman is only as good as her word

I have shared before in this column my grandfather’s mantra, “A man is only as good as his word”. I thought for those that may have missed it I would share it again but this time with a little of the history behind it.
When I was growing up I would often hear my grandpa say “A man is only as good as his word”.  Being a little girl, I don’t think I completely understood the meaning or the impact that little phrase would eventually have on me.
As I grew I was able to observe my grandpa interact with his friends, coworkers and family members. He was respected, a “straight shooter,” some would say. He made most of his deals with the shake of a hand and always kept his end of the bargain. People admired his integrity. He was a man of his word.
As an adult I came to realize just how significant that little sentence would be to who I became. I learned to value honestly and knew it was always best to tell truth even when it wasn’t easy. I learned to keep commitments and follow through. I wanted to earn the same respect my grandfather had.
Eventually I had my own children and passed on the mantra with a slight variation “A woman is only as good as her word.”