A Man [or Woman] for All Seasons

Yesterday I had the opportunity to watch one of my favorite movies, A Man for All Seasons, about Sir Thomas More. It was a reminder that standing by our principles and being true to our convictions often does not bring the rewards of man and sometimes even brings forth man's contempt along with dire consequences.

In 1535 King Henry V had Sir Thomas More beheaded for refusal to swear an oath that violated his beliefs--to state that he believed what he didn't believe. More held onto his convictions with steadfastness and courage and dignity during his imprisonment, trial, and execution. His final words on the scaffold were: "The King's good servant, but God's First."

It is as true today as it was for Sir Thomas More 473 years ago for each of us to have a deep understanding of true principles, base the way we live our lives upon those principles and convictions, and then be willing to face come what may in terms of consequences with courage and dignity...so that each of us can be known as Sir Thomas More was as a man [or woman] for all seasons.