Veterans Post: Is Honor Behavior or Belief?

 

Is honor a behavior or a belief?
Veterans Day 2012

 

The Village of the Blue Rose near Clarksville Missouri, on the bank of the Mississippi River.

A beautiful location, mission and purpose. Check site for details.

What are the missions of our military? 

How can we put a value on what has happened before and what sacrifices others have made on our behalf?  How can we repay them?  What can we do to say thanks? 

Gratitude:

The Tom Hanks movie, Saving Private Ryan, opens with the actor asking if he did enough.  He strove to live a life worthy to repay those that sacrificed for him.  The last of a few brothers, his life was considered worth redeeming by risking the lives of multiple others.  The rescue team had the purpose of ensuring his survival.  His question is still worth asking today!  Have we lived our lives in gratitude to those ahead of us or have we squandered, wasted and lived selfishly only taking and not giving anything in return? 

Participate:

Written on Election Day, 2012, this post attempts to articulate the purpose of Veterans Day Celebrations. Often times, the actions are the things we do that prove our attitudes. Actions like voting, obeying laws, respecting societal norms, supporting local children and schools are all demonstrations of gratitude. Holding public office, exerting discipline on self and those wards in our care and choosing to submit to our government as currently established are additional ways to thank those that have died for our behalf.
Appreciate:

Putting others up, approbation and esteeming with value all describe honor but an accurate definition of this abstract concept is challenging.   We must look to examples, actions or behavior to demonstrate the existence of this trait, characteristic or attitude.  Paying attention to, listening to, or just spending time with another are great ways to demonstrate honor.  School assemblies, meals and parades are other actions that prove or show honor.  By these actions, we demonstrate or prove our belief.  Often times, a belief happens after the behavior.  Of course beliefs influence our behavior but the converse may also hold true. Our behavior influences our beliefs!

 

What else can we do to appreciate on this Veterans Day?