Thomas Paine was right when he said; "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value." In the larger context rarely does anything we place value on come to us without our struggle to achieve or win it. Whether it be virtue or even vain glory, we must put ourselves into a state of focus and effort in order to reach it's possible attainment. Such is how we operate as humans. In my youth I had been given a few objects of desire as gifts but I treated them with the mindset of, oh well, they were gifts not earned. Even at my young age I knew that something I fought hard and long for was far more valuable than something I was given. I had less regard for things if I did nothing or little for them. I am not of the same mindset now as much since I realize that when I have been given something, there is the giving of it from another which displays value and that should be honored. Yet in my mind a gift will seem to be a bonus and not a reflection of of my value of it compared to me having put myself out for it. What has even come into clearer focus for me is that the normal expectations of past hard fought rights as absolute is unraveling. My understanding that civilized human rights and many natural rights that were decided in the preceding decades were foundationally established yet we are again fighting some of those same already concluded battles again. It is as if nothing from our progress forward is to be taken for granted at any time and that there are human forces out there who see the world as a truly dark place where they can do their mischief. Anything worth having requires struggle, not only to attain, but to keep as well.
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