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My pledge to humanity: To live my truth, express my truth and to stand in integrity.

Think very carefully before you make a pledge to humanity. It is all very well in a moment of peace and introspection to say that you will give your life to another or to all. But in the moments of despair and darkness will you remember your promise? Can you say that each moment of everyday you will never falter from your agreement to mankind?

Many pledge allegiance to the flag. How many realize the depth of that vow? Do they stop for a moment to look at the full extent pledging allegiance means? It is more than just becoming a citizen in a chosen country. It is a promise to uphold the rules, laws, customs, and values of that country. For good, bad and indifferent, you agree to loyalty beyond your own preservation.

Most people, at least once in their life, pledge their love to another. We know that the divorce rate is rapidly increasing. Do those who make these vows take careful consideration of the promise made, in the moments of an emotional high? Can the vow withstand time, the ebb and flow of relationships, the different levels of awareness that occur as we grow? Would it not be more legitimate to offer unconditional love, which allows for separation in the higher interest of that love?

Somewhere along the way, with changing beliefs and values the word pledge has lost its significance. Promises seem made to be broken, in exchange for momentary satisfaction. Once a handshake sealed a promise; today a signed contract is only as good as the hidden loop holes.

To pledge, is to vow or guarantee something. Can anyone promise more than the truth of self to another? I think to promise more than authenticity is to venture into risky territory. We are human after all, and our world is changing too fast to be sure that carelessly made vows will continue eternally strong on wavering ground.

But to raise your hand and swear to always be the best you can be, in each moment of your life, seems a worthy and sustainable pledge. It is a pledge made with serious intent. It leaves room for error in judgment, room to change, and above all room to grow.

My pledge to humanity allows me to serve my community, my country and the world in whatever way I am most capable. It is a pledge of unconditional love, trust and truth that will be as true in one hundred years as it is today.

Learn more about this author, Julie Melville.
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