By Brian Mattocks in symbol — 25 Jun 2025

The Plumb

A Plumb hanging with a bokeh background of a construction site.

Integrity is vertical. You know when you're off.

Walk Upright

We’ve all had that feeling . . . like something’s a little off. You said the right words, played the part, did the thing... but something tilted inside. That’s the Plumb tapping you on the shoulder.

The Plumb is the tool that tells you whether you’re upright. Not in reference to others, but to yourself, your principles, and your deity.

A brother once told us: he’d mastered the art of looking good. Promotions, praise, a full calendar, but every time he walked past a mirror, he felt a little slouched. Not physically but emotionally, morally. He was out of alignment with his values. “I was vertical to the world,” he said, “but not to myself. I was doing the wrong work, for the wrong reasons, but very good at it." That’s when he remembered the Plumb.

The Plumb doesn’t care how impressive your facade is. It checks for verticality—are you standing tall in private the same way you present in public?

It’s a gut-check. Not “Are you successful?” but “Are you straight with yourself?” Because when you’re not, it shows. Maybe not at first, but eventually. You’ll bend. You’ll break. You’ll lose yourself in the performance.

Pick up the Plumb. Hang it from your conscience. Let it show you the truth—not to shame you, but to invite you back into alignment.

Where in your life are you presenting one way and living another?
What part of your integrity feels out of line?
What’s one area where you’ve started to slouch—morally or emotionally?
If a younger version of you could see you today, would he be proud?

Use it now:

Find a quiet place. Take out a sheet of paper and write: “What would it mean to walk upright here?” Circle the first thing that makes you uncomfortable. That’s your Plumb. Follow it.

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