Example Of Essay On Honoring Our Legacy

The definition of a good life can be strenuous because of the subjectivity that surrounds it. A desirable life to one person may not be to another because people have different experiences and perspectives about it. For instance, one may define it as life in which one achieves personal goals and aspirations. Others may define a great life as one in which a person’s career objectives come to fruition. Honor is a personal trait that has a great value in society and is considered by people as a sign of living a desirable life. People who care about social opinion and follow ethical norms appreciate this feature in themselves and others. There are rather few honorable people in the modern society, and some individuals believe that the concept of honor is old-fashioned. However, honor is a highly moral value that allows a person to realize his worth and identity.
Honor is a value of an individual in his or her own eyes as well as in the eyes of others. It is an estimation of one’s own worth, personal identity, self-esteem, and self-respect. Honor is recognized by society and gives the right to be proud of oneself because of one’s personal traits. Historically, honor was considered to be a man’s feature that represented his masculine identity. Moreover, it was a key theme in the literature that demonstrated how people, especially men, tried to achieve it. For example, Shakespeare’s plays were mostly about honor and masculine where men were ready to defend their manhood in duels. Admittedly, the concept of honor was one of the main themes for the American Founding Fathers who wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Classical understanding of honor has lost its meaning, and it cannot be valued today as centuries ago except for the military, criminal gangs, or fire departments where it still exists. Honor encourages one to live in accordance with his/her personal ideals and be a person of integrity who is doing the right things without supervision. Honor can be of the two types: horizontal and vertical. Horizontal honor exists between equal groups of people while vertical honor offers to pursue a code of honor. Furthermore, honor is based on respect in a community of equal individuals who express their opinion about individuals who care about their judgement. Honor cannot exist without shame that helps individuals to become honorable and deserve to be honorable.
Honoring the past must necessarily become one of the major life goals. Personally, I have to admit that my parents have always taught me to respect deeds, which other people have performed for well-being of the nation. Today, when the years have passed, I understand that their life lessons have assisted me to be an individual, which I have become. For example, I would like to honor the past warriors in the War in Iraq and other countries and cherish the memory of them. These people have to be remembered since they willfully gave their lives for the preservation of peace in our country. One of the best ways to honor them is to provide support to their families. In my turn, I would like to be involved in activities connected with practical assistance to the mothers, wives, and children of warriors, who died or obtained serious traumas in the course of military actions. I consider that it is the smallest contribution, which canbe provided to honor these people.
Although honor is considered to be an old-fashioned quality, it is an important attribute of a man’s character. Honor demonstrates the morality of a person who realizes his worth, self-esteem, and identity.