The Value of Liberty

When Abraham Lincoln was running for the senate seat for the state of Illinois, he and Stephen A. Douglas engaged in a series of debates (which came to be known as the "Lincoln-Douglas debates)whose main topic was the issue of slavery. These debates weren't debates over which policy was better, these debates put their emphasis on logic, on philosophy, and on ethical values.

Debating which value is more essential than another is an interesting notion- because it really is what we value that determines our policy, or what we choose to do. Value is the foundation of policy. When a teenager asks his parent for the car, and the parent says no, the ensuing argument really isn't about the car, it's about the value of independent movement (on the part of the teenager) versus safety (on the part of the parent.) Which is more important? After THAT decision is made, the teen and parent may come to some agreement about the best policy to carry out the agreed upon value.

In our country today, we no longer value Liberty. Liberty is the exercise of choice, of agency. It is the keystone of the three values stated in the Declaration of Independence- life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is no life of any quality, Patrick Henry said, without the opportunity to choose freely how to live it. That's what he meant when he said, "Give my Liberty, or give me death." And the pursuit of happiness (or the acquisition of property, which was the commonly understood meaning of the phrase when Jefferson penned it), is really the right to fully realize the consequence of one's choices- the free exercise of Liberty.

Liberty, then, is the free exercise of agency. It was valued by the founders of this country more than Life, more than Security, more than anything else. It was the ethical value upon which this country was founded. It was the driving ideal behind the writing of the Constitution- which creates a form of government specifically designed to check man's nature to hinder another man's exercise of Liberty.

The value of Liberty was the philosophical basis for the war in Heaven- a war fought over whether or not man ought to be allowed to come to this earth to exercise his/her agency freely. One party agreed with Heavenly Father, that the free exercise of agency was the best way to grow. He offered himself as a mediator for Justice- as a advocate for Mercy- to suffer the consequences of the free exercise of Agency when those consequences were negative. He said that he would be our Savior- if we would CHOOSE to accept him.

But his counterpart, Lucifer, advocated Security as the more desired value. HE said that he would ensure that we would all return to live with Heavenly Father because he would take control of our lives and make our choices for us. The consequence of his plan would leave him with power and us with impotence. But there could be no growth without choice, without agency, without Liberty. And so the war began- and the value of Liberty was chosen as the more important value.

Rest

Today I'm home- resting. I was supposed to be flying to Germany right now to visit Heike and Matthias Poppitz, but due to problems with passport rules, Jim and I aren't going. It's okay, though. I'm tired- and need to rest.

Rest. Liz is at rest. Her body- when last seen, was peacefully resting and the feeling around it was quite calm. I can't imagine what that must feel like. Life for me is usually going at about 100 mph- or more- all day long. What would it be like to rest? To be still? Not to be tired, and constantly pushing through the tired to accomplish what needs to be accomplished that day? Have we created a culture wherein we're no longer mindful of the mortal limitations of our own bodies and souls? Have we forgotten our humanity? I think, to an extent, we have- and I'm tired.

So, today I'm going to rest. Or try to, anyway. I hope I remember how.

Walmart

This morning I went to Walmart to shop for things I need to attend Liz's funeral, and I wondered how many other people were there shopping for things they needed for a difficult day. We assume too much, I think, expect too much of others. We should treat others more delicately from now on.

Happy B-diddy to my October gals

Kirsten and Anna are my October gals. I always looked forward to their birthdays because it meant that Fall was really here- my favorite time of year opened with the celebration of the birth of two of my favorite people on the planet. What more could I ask for. They are five years apart- and more than that in personality. Yet, they're sisters through and through- very supportive and kind to each other. I love both of your very, very much- and am so proud of you and all that you're both doing with your lives. Thank you for being brave enough to have me as your mom!

Repentance

I'm a terrible journal writer- and Liz was an excellent journaler. Only, in today's vernacular, it's called a blogger. She blogged every day- or almost every day. And she was an excellent writer- such a clear style. I've loved reading her blogs today.

Today. Wow. What a day. I've cried so much my teeth hurt. To lose a friend at our age- so quickly, so unexpectedly. Yet, through this terrible day, I've begun to realize things- and that is a good thing. Liz would like that- she was a thinker, a philosophy major in college, and one of the world's greatest moms. Her family was everything to her- and "family" was a broad term for her. Liz was a people person- and one of the ways she reached out to people and to her own soul was through blogging. And now- now her children and her husband have a wonderful record of her memories and thoughts from the last several years.

As for me, I'm a ridiculously busy person- who has felt the weight and burden of all I do to the extent that there is little joy in any of it. And when I get stressed, the last thing in the world I feel like doing is reaching out to people. I withdraw instead. I surf the internet instead of creating on the internet. I waste time instead of using it wisely.

Saturday morning I had a melt down about this very thing- and was ranting to Jim that I know I can't continue to do everything I'm doing without seriously and adversely affecting the relationships I have with those most dear to me, but I don't know how to get out of the whirlwind I'm in. Then, Saturday late afternoon I learned about Liz's unexpected passing. It's amazing how life can throw you a slap in the face- and have that slap actually help you figure out how to solve things. As my life with Liz has swirled around in my head almost non-stop these past 24 hours, I've learned a few things. Thank you, Liz, for teaching me.

I've learned that people were very important to Liz- and that one must put effort into things which are important to keep them that way. It's our relationships that we take with us when we leave this life- along with the sum total of our decisions. Nothing more. If we want those memories and relationships to be rich and full and vibrant, then we must work to make them so while we're here. I could kick myself for all of the days that I didn't read and comment on Liz's blog. She is the only person to have ever commented on this one- and I highly doubt that I responded back. What a fool I've been. To have lost the opportunity to continue to know my best childhood friend as intimately as we did when we were children is a great loss indeed. I was always going to get to it when I had the time. What a mistake- for now I am stuck in time and she is released from it's restrictions. When will I ever learn?

Thoughts

Tonight I am sitting here in a hotel room in Simpsonville, SC- here so that I can attend my best childhood friend's funeral. What a whirlwind 24 hours it's been since I found out that she passed away last week.

I've relived my childhood- over and over these past 24 hours. Liz was such an integral part of it. There really are very few memories that I have that don't include her. We were best buds- without really ever having to talk about being best buds. We met when we were four years old- and she was a part of most of my major (and more of my minor) life events from that time until today. I really don't know where to start- but start I must. So, over the course of the next several days, I'm going to take time to write about her. You can visit her blogspot at armbruster1.blogspot.com. She kept it up faithfully- and I, I took the road more hurried by- and rarely read it until today. What a fool I've been.

Childhood is the foundation of one's life. It is there that all of the building blocks- good or bad- well-formed or a bit cracked- are laid. It's an interesting thing, childhood. I work with children every day, and still can't quite grasp the complexities of what is occurring. I wonder why we, as a society, seem so hell bent on destroying it. Why don't we encourage play any more- real play, child's play, creative play. It should go on AT LEAST until one is in junior high.

Liz and I played. Real play- child's play. Just this last week, I was sharing with my class a memory I made with her- one of the millions. Children are naturally curious- and want to manipulate their surroundings so they can test their curiosity. One day in Liz's kitchen, as we were wondering about the power of carbonation in root beer, was such a moment of curiosity.

We rarely had something like root beer at my house- only if there was a special occasion like a summer picnic. But Liz's parents had some that day- and her mother wasn't home- only Peter was, who was supposed to be watching us. He, however, was somewhere else when Liz and I decided to conduct an experiment. We shook, and we shook, and we shook that bottle of root beer some more. When the cap came off, all but about a 1/4 inch of root beer came shooting out so fast- we were stunned. Peter came rushing into the kitchen just in time to see a root beer geyser erupting all over the ceiling and the cupboards. We laughed- the three of us- at the great event- until Liz's mom drove in the driveway. Then, we panicked.

Peter went rushing out to try and distract her from bringing in the groceries- or whatever else it was she had. But somehow, Sr. Patch knew something was up. And she caught Liz and I standing on the countertops trying to wipe root beer from off of the ceiling. I'm sure we were punished- but I don't remember how. If I know Liz's mom, she probably did it while trying to hide a smile.

Summer 2007 Journeys

During the summer of 2007, our family had many adventures- in the typical Siebachian way, which is atypical. Join us as we reminisce.

The summer began with the return of "Corey and Connie Cooper"- two coopers hawks which first took up residence at our place during the summer of 2006. Perched high above Jim's garden, they made it well known that they now considered it their garden- squawking at anyone who dared enter, regardless of the number of legs.