On of the best gifts I ever received was a Sony e-reader. I have always enjoyed reading but once I embraced the ease of downloading books, my reading appetite became voracious. I read all kinds of books and consume on average 2-3 books a week.
I will admit here, to the world, that I have an addiction to historical romances. You know, lords and ladies, knights and Scottish lairds coming to the aid of damsels in distress, not to mention handsome rakes succumbing to the feminine whiles of the beautiful but chaste heroine. It is a guilty pleasure that I am happy to waste any rainy day with.
After reading a few of this variety of fiction (ok more than few) I starting noticing a pattern. A formula was beginning to emerge, the main characters may start out misunderstood or suffering from heartache or adversity but they always showed a high level of personal honour, a quality of knowing what was morally right.
The gentry in these novels always had a code of honour. These defenders of truth embodied high principles for proper conduct and took their duties towards their subjects, clans and the ruler of the day very seriously. The moral code that is portrayed by these fictional characters would be carried out even to the death.
That got me pondering about my own moral fibre, not that I am a dishonourable person, but I had never articulated to myself what my code of honour actually is. What is my personal line in the sand? What do I believe to be true? What principles matter to me that I am willing to take a stand and speak up about?
The majority of people, when pushed, will do the right thing but if you are secure in your own personal code of honour, you will never be hesitant when called to act.
An unwavering certainty in your personal principles frees you from being swayed by external pressures. There is no longer a need to seek outside approval when making decisions because you are confident of your own moral compass. Having personal honour reflects to others that you are a person of integrity and can be trusted at your word.
So I decided to create a code of honour for myself based on my own personal moral beliefs. I wanted to keep it short and simple so that it encompassed a broad perspective. That way I could apply my rules of conduct generously to challenges that might arise in my life.
Please note that I use the word endeavor. I am human and as such not perfect and prone to making mistakes. Using the word endeavor gives me permission to be fallible, to be kind to myself by knowing that I am trying.
Diana’s Code of Honour
- First and foremost I endeavor to be true to myself.
- I endeavor to show compassion for other’s code of honour and points of views even if I don’t agree.
- I endeavor to quest to understand through knowledge.
- I endeavor to not turn away if I know I can be of service.
- I endeavor to forgive.
We all come from diverse backgrounds and have had different life experiences. I am sure if you made a list of your personal principles there would be other points included. For me, living simply is important so keeping my code of honour short and sweet helps enables me to live with integrity and grace.