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An Honorable Life Is A Goal For Us All

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By LUIS LOPEZ

Special to the Tribune

Published: June 22, 2008

Honor. What a powerful word!

It is hard to define it in a way that will please everyone. Many define it as respect, admiration, reputation or reverence. What I am focusing on goes far beyond mere words.

As I have traveled the world and experienced different cultures and religions, I have realized that there is a failure to understand what honor is really about, and because of this there is moral decay.

It is evident when we look at the behavior of some former industry leaders, such as in the Enron case, and government officials involved in the many fiascos in Congress, when leaders fund pork projects and cater to special-interest groups.

It is also evident when we look at a few of our leaders in our county governments. Our churches are not immune, either.

Many of us talk about honor and integrity. But when scrutinized, we fall far short of our own expectations. Honor can be defined as a good name, as an outward respect or a symbol. Honor may have many different meanings or no meaning at all to some, but it is far more than a definition.

Honor is the ultimate sign of self-respect. Honor cannot be given, taken, bought or sold. It is a way of life that must be earned through the supreme belief in moral and ethical behavior, reinforced by ideals and virtues that are beyond words or reproach.

My father instilled in me three words to live by: honor, service and integrity. He said, "Have honor in all you do. And remember, the world can take away your money, your home, your family or even your freedom. The one thing that is untouchable is your honor. Only you can lose your honor. Therefore, serve others with integrity and no one will ever question your honor."

As I spoke to my father about honor, we seemed to connect on an emotional level that is hard to put into words. He conveyed that life without honor was not life. He expressed a desire that I follow the tenets of my service to this country - a philosophical canon of three words that every military veteran knows well. They are duty, honor and country.

Those three hallowed words reverently decree what we ought to be, what we can be and what we should be. They are the rallying cry that everyone can rely on to build courage in our hearts and, when courage seems to fail, to regain faith in God and create hope when hope becomes doleful.

The moral decay in society is spreading like infections in an untreated wound, and as a result it is rotting from within. Unfortunately, the importance of honor is not something that is very well understood in today's fast-paced society.

What should honor mean to us today? Be honest with those around us. Be honest with others and have them know that honesty is likewise expected of them.

If we are not honest in what we say to others, we must look inside ourselves to find the reason. If we cannot act honestly with others, how can we look in the mirror and say we have honor? A person corrupted with dishonesty and moral decay is one whose word should never be trusted.

To behave honorably means to consider the consequence of our actions, both word and deed, and how they reflect on ourselves, our families and those we come in contact with. While many do not care about the personal repercussions of dishonorable action, their deeds reflect who they are and what moral fabric they were sown from.

Consider the consequences of how you treat others. Strive to do no harm. If you consider others before yourself, you will behave honorably without having to think about it.

The path of honor must be above reproach in the eyes of everybody who meets you. To be above reproach means that no action you have taken can be counted against you. Simply stated, honor is doing what is right - no matter the cost.

As for myself, I would rather fail with honor than succeed as a fraud.

The writer is a Zephyrhills city councilman, youth counselor and Air Force veteran.

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