Negativity Is Insidious, And It Likes Company

Dignity is what binds us together, through thick and thin, good times and bad. It is the sticky factor and source code of our human existence. Dignity occurs when people live as individuals, freely and openly, to express themselves in a world of possibility. Of course, there are moral frameworks, governments, religion, policies, and laws that set boundary conditions for keeping us safe, secure, and within our rights as citizens. However, having dignity is something deeper than these social constructs that humans design. Dignity is the base code that exists within us, in the absence of rules, regulations, policies, and even religion. It exists where the unconscious and consciousness of human existence come together. Dignity is the recognition that we all have a soul, and that each of our souls are precious and unique. While we all look different on the outside, we all share a common connection in space, in time, and the Universe. Our dignity binds us across the immeasurable reaches of space and time. Dignity is what makes humans conscious beings, aware of our thoughts, and with cognitive abilities that allow us to contemplate space, time, and experiences beyond what we can sense from the physical world. The human experience is very much a shared one.

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

I personally believe we occupy Earth for only a brief slice of our soul’s existence. As an intelligent species, humans inherently and intuitively understand and explore love. Love is a manifestation of dignity, expressed in many forms. The sheer fact that humans seek out and provide unconditional love is a reflection of our shared dignity. Think about when we use phrases like I love you to the moon and back, or I will love you for infinity. We express feelings in such a way not because we are extravagant or unrealistic, but because somewhere deep down inside us, we know that love can be everlasting, and that at its core it is universal and omnipresent, lighting our souls in birth, life, death, and beyond. Consider the institution of marriage and the fact that two people commit themselves fully to each other, without any clarity or certainty of the future, to hold true to the sanctity of their vows, until death do us part. The sanctity of marriage is a human expression of shared dignity. It is the purest form of partnership that says, no matter what goes down from here on out, I have your back. That is a bold promise to make and commitment to uphold. Think about how many people are not committed to their workout routine, their job, or their friends and family. It is easy for people to walk away from human dignity out of selfishness or because they are unable to find certainty in those deeds or relations.

There's More To Life

The hard truth about dignity is that it is not only about what we receive from others, it is also about what we give, how we serve, and when we choose to give others their space and time. Dignity is not all about us! It is the soul’s reflection in another, mirroring and signaling love, comfort, restraint, and compassion. When we give ourselves fully to something or somebody, for example in marriage, we willingly choose to express our dignity for ourselves and for them. Our dignity is about treating all forms of life fairly, with mutual respect. Today a lot of data, information, and change bombards youth in America and around the world. What they experience in their schools, communities, homes, and through social media is, directly and indirectly, influencing their minds, personalities, and behaviors. No matter how much we might want to shield and protect our kids, they are being exposed to many influences that also infiltrate and impact their peers, parents, teachers, doctors, coaches, and caregivers. There is an epic battle raging throughout the world and ravaging our society. The amount of damage 280 characters can do is really quite alarming. In the past, the battleground lines used to be geographic and physical, enabling things like fortified walls to be constructed or for Armies to be strategically stationed. With definitive battleground lines, children can be kept safe and sheltered from the rhetoric that rousts and rallies people to the front lines. However, today the battlefield is less about boundaries of geography and physical might, and more about emotion, perception, deception, and what lurks in the deep web and shadows of data, privacy, and subterfuge.

Careless Memories

As parents we don’t even know what it means to parent in this kind of asymmetric world bordering on a dystopian future. The front lines are no longer a world away. The war is being waged in our schools, homes, and during nighttime talks before bedtime. The epic battle I speak of is complex and has made billions of dollars for theme parks, Hollywood, multinational defense companies, and the United States and foreign governments. George Lucas brilliantly captured the basic tenet and existential nature of the battle in the Star Wars trilogy. The battle before us, thousands of years in the making, and our greatest threat, is that between good versus evil. I hate to say it is that simple, but it is. As my son’s Star Wars characters manned the front lines of his shelf, I put my arm around him, hugging him firmly. I ran my fingers through his hair, and told him that he had an enormous heart, a beautiful soul, and has already changed the world for the better. Dignity comes in many forms. It can be shared, expressed, felt, performed, and received. The battle between good and evil can only be won and eradicated when we all choose, like my son, to push away the darkness and embrace the light. Happy. A simple word that describes one of the deepest emotions and behaviors humans can have. Happiness can be attained, but more often than not it is a deliberate choice we have to make. Negativity is insidious, and it likes company. That’s why negative emotions are often worn on one’s sleeve to selfishly draw in an audience to let them know you are in pain and frustrated.