Those that borrow honor know they can never outrun their own fears, never control their frantic imaginings, or calm their overwhelming dread. For honor borrowed is simply a lie waiting to be exposed. Right and wrong is not a cheap suit to be put on or off when needed or when someone has the time and patience to appear gracious.

Living up to our humanity is so simple and therein lies its complexity. Yet, children can reduce it to a simply please and thank you. Growing, we learn to recognize the graying of our words, the subtle shading of our tone, and the necessity of choosing our words carefully. Without this basic understanding of our nature, we cannot be taken seriously, cannot be respected, cannot have honor. We condemn ourselves and our nation to unfulfilled dreams and disappointing outcomes.

To lose humanity and misplace our honor feels far too common in today’s politics. But if we consistently and loudly remind our lawmakers of our expectation and their obligations, we may still find solid ground.

To throw up our hands and dismiss all politicians as hopeless scoundrels allows us to negate our own responsibility. Demanding ethical behavior from elected officials is the first step in regaining our balance as well as our collective self respect.

Michael Walley

Hallowell