Human Dignity

Did you ever wonder why life has to be so painful?

I have asked this question so many time.

As a little child, I asked my mother why so many children were born in countries where there was inadequate food and other necessities of life. My mother’s answer peaked my curiosity, but did not satisfy me.

“They are so anxious to have a physical body that they would accept any opportunity to come to this earth, even if it is for only a short enough time to receive a body and then return to heaven. They will then receive their body back again at the resurrection.”

How does this have anything to do with Human Dignity.

Is it not that an increase in life expectancy occurs when the necessities of life become easier to procure, thus granting some greater dignity to life?

Dignity includes a sense of self-respect and self-worth. There is great debate on the implications of such words. Each culture, in fact, each family defines physical empowerment or psychological integrity in unique ways, with definable quantities and abilities.

As a mother and grandmother, I learned my children-in-law’s definition of dignity is dramatically different from my children’s. However, I have learned key dignity constants among them. Even though I understand those constants, I struggle to navigate by those constants. It makes life interesting.

My family was different from my husband’s family. The constants of dignity in our family oppose those of our children-in-law.

The constants in our relationships give us the ability to understand dignity for each individual. Human dignity results from honoring others.

Relate Social Structure gives you the ability to understand the constants of dignity and navigate safer waters with your family.