Honor Bound.

Those words “honor bound” have deep resonance.

*Cub Scouts declare, “On my honor as a Scout...”
*Soldiers pledge themselves to “Duty. Honor. Country.”
*The fifth commandment (depending on how you count) says “Honor thy father and thy mother.”
*Husbands and wives promise to “Love. Honor. Cherish.”

A point of honor is a good thing. Honor points us beyond ourselves and our little orbits. Honor connects us to others. A shared sense of honor creates a common culture.

But when the wrong things become “honored,” honor itself can turn ugly. Consider how in ancient Japanese culture the importance of maintaining one’s “honor” sometimes led those who felt shamed by imperfect behavior to commit ritual suicide or hari-kiri. Death became the only way to “save face” and restore honor.

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