Getting loud about being quiet

“Son: Father, will the MacGregor’s ever be kings again?
ROB ROY: All men with honor are kings - but not all kings have honor.
SON: What is honor?
ROB ROY: Honor is.. what no man can give ye, and no one can take away. Honor is a man’s gift to himself.
SON: Do women have it?
ROB ROY: Women are the heart of honor - and we cherish and protect it in them. You must never mistreat a woman, or malign a man. Or stand by and see another do so.
SON: How do you know if you have it?
ROB ROY: Never worry in the getting of it. It grows in ye and speaks to ye. All you need to do is listen.” - From the film Rob Roy.

I am a reserved person by nature. I know what you're thinking. It's probably along the lines of, "A blogger?! An actress?! A singer?! How is anyone who lives by those descriptions "reserved"?" Well, get to know me well enough and you’ll know that I guard my secret heart very closely. That said, I will advertise this much – honor is a quality I prize in those around me. I look up to honorable men (and women) – and am so glad to have had a few great examples of that in my life, starting with my parents.

All that said, I’ve learned that, because of these examples, I expect A LOT from people. However, I don't think I also don’t think it’s a bad or unreasonable expectation. I expect someone to live up to his/her word (even the small ones) whenever humanly possible. And I expect them to expect the same from me. I'm not off the hook either in this equation. It helps keep me accountable and honest, and forces us to think about what we say before we say it.

As I think about the future and things like marriage, while it's still a long way off, I am reminded of what a position of honor it is to be called "wife" or "husband".

By the same token, I consider being called "friend" a place of honor as well.

Afterall- all of these positions in life are a privledge, not a right. I can't think of a goal more noble than choosing to live up to all of those different positions and titles we gain in life to the best of our abilities. It's by living in our convictions that we bring honor to ourselves and those around us. It gives words like, "I love you,", "I do", and "I'm proud of you," gravity. It instills confidence in others and security that our word is our bond. That what we say is what we mean to say and live up to.

Honor is one of those amazing things. You don't have to tell people you have it. It shows every day. It will often earn you honors as well, but it doesn't seek that. It just seeks to be true to it's word and convictions. I'm so grateful to have won the parent lottery. They modeled this lifestyle for me and I hope to be the model as well for my own further generations, when those come someday down the line.

What traits do you think you'd leave behind for your future generations?