Sacred Honor

Every year near the Fourth of July I take the time to read the Declaration of Independence. Its strange to think that 237 years ago a small group of men locked themselves in a room and decided that in the name of what they believed to be right, they would take on the strongest superpower of the time. I imagine the mood in that room must have been as tense and heated as a July afternoon can be as they contemplated an action that could have very well meant death for each and every one in attendance.

 

We all know the first part of the Declaration, the part that declares that all men are created equal and that we all are entitled to certain rights namely: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is never this part that moves me. It is powerful language, no doubt, and it has been used and quoted time and time again to demonstrate what those men fought for and what this country is about. Yet, what has a larger impact for me is not what these men decided to fight for, but rather, what they were willing to sacrifice. The very last sentence of the last paragraph of the Declaration reads:

 

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

 

Our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor. The thing that is especially captivating about this line is that it not only demonstrates their willingness to sacrifice everything they had, but also that they truly understood just how large that sacrifice may be. For these ideas, these rights of equality and liberty, these men and those who followed them were willing to give their lives; and not just their own, but also those close to them that they knew would follow their lead. They were willing to give their fortunes, every worldly possession that some had spent their lives acquiring. And lastly, and most importantly, they were willing to give their Honor.

 

Fortunes can come and go with ease. Human life is immensely valuable but also transitory. Honor on the other hand...honor is something that we leave behind forever. In the same way that we now emphatically celebrate these men as heroes, as patriots, as fathers, we could just as easily revile them as cowards, villains, and traitors. These men knew that for the rest of human history they could be known as some of the most heinous, murderous, and evil people that had ever lived but even that, even that risk of an eternal taint, would not stop them.

 

These men risked everything for what they thought was right. They believed in their cause so deeply, so truly, that nothing - not death, not poverty, not even eternal dishonor - would prevent them from making a stand.

 

I imagine all this racing through their heads on that humid July day as each approached the front of that silent room, lifted their pen, and never looked back.

 

There are things in life that are worth fighting for, there are things that are worth dying for, but should we ever come across something so important we are truly willing to give everything for it, I pray we are strong enough to rise to the challenge. And furthermore, I pray with all my heart that one day we find it.

Astronaut Theory

There was once a little boy who was only five years old when his father asked him, "Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?" The little boy had no trouble answering. From a young age he had been fascinated with the heavens above him, and the opportunity to explore them. "I want to be an astronaut!" he emphatically replied. His father was elated! How ambitious for a five-year-old! His son was truly destined for greatness.

A few years went by...

Johnny was now nine and his father asked him again, "Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?" "An astronaut!" Johnny once again replied to his father's pride.

A few more years went by...

Johnny was in the middle of his sophomore year of high school. One school night, Johnny was toiling away at his science homework when his father passed his bedroom. Impressed by the dedication his son was showing for his work he asked, "Johnny, have you put any thought into what you might actually want to do when you grow up?" Johnny looked confused, "I want to be an astronaut dad, you know that." The father's pride was noticeably weaker than it had been in years past. He sighed, "its good to have high hopes Johnny, but you're soon going to have to be more realistic. There are a lot of little boys and girls that want to be astronauts and very few actually are able to do it." Johnny was undisturbed. "I know dad, but I'll be one of the people that makes it!" His father feigned a smile and walked out of the room.

A few more years went by...

Johnny's hard work had paid off and he was accepted to a prestigious university. His father and him sat down to decide on a major. "Before we decide what major you should choose, we should first decide, once and for all, what you want to be when you grow up." "I want to be an astronaut dad, nothing has changed since I was a boy." His father had had enough.

"Jonathan! You need to forget about that silly dream! Thousands, probably millions of children want to be astronauts, and all but a handful fail! When I was a young boy, I too wanted to be an astronaut, and I failed. Everyone fails. All my friends who wanted to be astronauts failed. People in the neighborhood have been talking about you. They think you're head is in the clouds. You need to be sensible. You need to pick a dream that is more realistic. You will never be an astronaut!"

Johnny was crushed...at first. He had dealt with this his entire life. Friends, family members, guidance counselors, and virtually everyone else had told him the same thing. His dream was ridiculous, so he finally agreed with his father, and the rest of them. After all, if none of them were able to do it, why would his fate be any different?

Many years went by...

John had graduated from school. He got a good job working as the manager of a local company. He got married, and was able to afford a comfortable living for himself. He never became an astronaut, but after all, the odds were against him anyway...

Now, Lets look at another version of the story:

Johnny's father would still ask the question from the time he was five up until he was applying to college and every time that he was asked that question, Johnny would answer the same way. But in this version, instead of trying to persuade his son to change his mind, imagine that Johnny's father responded differently:

"Yes John, that is a great idea and I'm so glad you're still following your dream!"

"How about I buy you books about how to become one? Or, how about I take you to talk to people who have done it? Or, how about I help you pick a major that will best suit your endeavor?"

"I always wanted to be an astronaut and although I wasn't able to do it, I believe that you can!"

"Don't listen when people tell you to take your head out of the clouds! Keep gazing at the heavens  Never under any circumstance should you doubt yourself!"

Would the outcome be any different?

The statistics still say that there would be a minuscule probability; that there is still such a low change of it happening the father's actions wouldn't have any real impact...

But they might have.

Try, try as hard as you can and you will likely fail; but, if you listen to those who say you can't and never try then you'll never even get that slim chance. Surround yourself by those people who tell you that you can reach the stars, and you just might do it.

I leave you with this video:

http://www.ted.com/talks/larry_smith_why_you_will_fail_to_have_a_great_career.html