In choosing death over exile, Greek philosopher Socrates counseled: "The unexamined life is not worth living." Today, that message can translate to choosing to die prematurely in the face of violating one's beliefs or principles.
The passage of years have set me to wondering what circumstances would be enough to surrender what remains of my own life.
Can any of us mortals of supposed higher consciousness imagine a more relevant personal question?
It's not as morbid a question as it might initially sound, considering we fragile mortals are fully aware of our uncertain, yet inevitable, moment of departure.
I read years ago that in order to achieve what we call greatness, humans require spirits committed enough in our causes to overcome fear of death. While undeniably a great motivator, fear is even more our greatest debilitator. It's the negative spiritual force that prevents us from taking risks necessary to attain our purest level of self.
Our noblest achievers proved it true: Jesus Christ and disciples, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, the uniformed men and women who willingly sacrifice their lives during times of war and toward resisting evil on our mean streets.
Call them martyrs if you feel the need. The honor roll of such selfless sacrifice rises into the heavens. Untold thousands over the centuries, from our nation's revolution through the recent and ongoing decades of warring in the Middle East.
Most members of our military subscribe to the meaning behind the phrase "Death before dishonor." It means they'd opt to surrender their physical lives before dishonoring family, comrades or their God.
In Japan the historic suicide-by-sword ritual known as hara-kiri is still practiced, though not as frequently as earlier centuries. It's been the accepted way the Japanese culture has dealt with spiritual and physical atonement for personal dishonor.
Today, we see radical Islamic terrorists strap bombs to themselves and their children in unwavering willingness to sacrifice life for what they believe is their greater cause and calling.
So back to the original question. What, if any, convictions do each of us have strongly enough to surrender our life in an ultimate effort to preserve or protect ideals for others?
Put another way, if push came to shove with your back against the wall, would you be willing to depart this world earlier than expected based on purely spiritual justification such as truth or devotion?
After all, the heart of the question is by its very nature spiritual, isn't it? I'm not speaking of your arms, legs, nose or hair. Each deeply personal answer lies solely in the unseen essence of the person you've become.
As I've aged, it's become easier to define which ultimate ideals reside deepest within my own heart and mind. For instance, I'd give my life for those of my children, perhaps even my closest friends. Some soldiers have died covering live grenades to save those around them. The Bible says no greater love exists.
I'd also surrender my state of consciousness prematurely if, in doing so, I might somehow help preserve our nation's ideals of individual liberties and freedom for my children and theirs. I swore a solemn oath to do just that upon enlistment 50 years ago.
It makes sense that, since I'll be departing at some unknown date, why not go a bit earlier than expected for something I truly believe in preserving? How many Americans have done just that?
Today, I also find odd comfort with regard to my mortality. Knowing that final unknown day and minute await fuels inspiration to get on with making some meaningful differences while still able. That knowledge also encourages me to reflect upon what might lead me to speed the departure.
In this respect, our shared awareness of "existence" in this strange place we call a world can be a blessing and a curse. We naturally prefer to cling to the exciting, pleasurable and lovingly positive moments. Yet intellectual honesty forces us to concede all the noise and interaction is but a fleeting experience whether it lasts one minute or 100 years.
Hope it doesn't make many of you too uncomfortable to ask such a profoundly personal question. Discomfort hasn't been my intent. It's relevant to everyone reading.
I sincerely believe when all the laughter and tears, the worries and rejoicing funnel to a close, many will ask why we came here. And perhaps more importantly as we examine more deeply, what did we do to leave here a better place for those who follow?
It's true that everything we do to benefit ourselves over a lifetime is buried with us. The only aspects of "us" to remain are those things we did for others during our stay.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 01/22/2017