James Foley Legacy
Sitting along the rock bound coast of Maine enjoying the peace and tranquility nature provides, I have been a bit more aware of the tragedy of “execution” of journalist James Foley. The reason is that James was a native of New Hampshire, where I spent many a happy summer as a kid.
The news here has been reporting on the tributes to James from family and friends. And today I read an article in the New Hampshire Union Leader describing the legacy James left behind. A legacy based on his passion for the truth.
Most of us will not ever live a life consumed by a passion for the truth. Or will we? Probably not in the way that James Foley did. We won’t travel to war torn countries to seek out the truth of why the citizens of the world are still intent on forcing others to conform to their religion, political or economic system or a simple lust for power. But we will travel through the world we live in facing the challenges presented to us all in our day to day lives. The challenges of dealing with unpleasant people, unfair situations, difficult decisions and the results of failures and even successes.
Do we think of how we make our way through our days as pursuing a passion for truth? Almost certainly not. But in fact that is what we are all doing; searching for the truth of our existence. The great mystery. And the conclusions we come to, both intellectually, spiritually and emotionally are what the guides us.
And if we take the time to consider the immeasurable importance of those conclusions, we will be led to consider our own legacy and who might benefit from our own passion for truth.
James Foley’s legacy may help provide an awareness of the struggles many of the peoples of the world are facing and in doing so help alleviate those struggles.
Our own legacies can provide a more intimate awareness to our loved ones and certainly can be instrumental in alleviating some of their struggles. Each of our lives have meaning and value.
Imagine how that meaning and value can make a difference to your loved ones. If our lives are to really have meaning, we must pass along what we have learned.
Brad Ohlund