When we remember those who have served we honor the values and the principles they were committed to defending and sacrificing so much to preserve. It’s what we willingly die for that defines us and what matters most to us. Most people throughout time have been willing to die protecting their faith, their family, and their freedom.
The first Memorial Day in the United States of America was dedicated to Union Soldiers who gave their lives in the battle against slavery – the battle for Freedom. For all of human history our most important debates, documents, and battles have been to preserve the freedoms to live, to have a voice, to practice our faiths, and to live in an equal and just society of law and order without tyranny or oppression. When the world is divided by so much, it is in our unity of values and principles, like the pursuit of life and liberty, that we can come together in spite of our differences.
As we navigate into the future of this complex world what values and principles will guide us? What will we be honoring and remembering?
There is so much at stake and no perfect answer. That is why the values we unify around are so much more critical than our individual differences. The rights and freedoms of all citizens drive us back to our humanity and that is going to be important because the issues our world is trying to solve are going to be challenging, like:
- Politics and Government
- Economics, Trade, and Poverty
- Health and Hunger
- Energy and Environment
- Information and Technology
- Genetic Modifications
- Population and Culture
- Human Rights and Equality
Let our sacrifices always be in the protection and preservation of mankind’s ability to live and be free.
It is both honorable and unfortunate when one soul gives their life for another. The price is always high and should not be forgotten. At its best the sacrifice of one for another is in defense and preservation of another’s life and opportunities. May we always strive to unite around these values and principles of being human, and authentically live them out in the face of difficulties and differences:
- Human Life is immeasurably valuable
- People are created equal and should be free
- People deserve to be treated with dignity and respect
- People have a right to their peaceful religion and beliefs
- People have a right to security and privacy
- People have the right to due process and justice
- People have the right to their peaceful voice in society and government
- People have the right of self-defense and protection from harm
- People have the right to pursue their dreams and excellence
[shareable cite=”EricDJackson.com”]In our greatest need, it will always be our truest values and principles that guide us.[/shareable]
Have you defined for yourself what you would actually give your life for? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith, Family, #Freedom
