In watching Watching JFK Jr. Birthday Celebration, it seemed clear that this noble soul is “here for a time such as this” to remind us all of our core values.

In rereading Essay 12 on Values, I’m reminded to be aware that whatever time left is precious, and to use it wisely.

12. VALUES

Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in this life has a purpose. — Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, quoted by Sarah Ban Breathnach in Simple Abundance

Conscience not only puts us in touch with our own uniqueness; it also connects us with the universal true north principles that create quality of life. We can use conscience to align our values and strategies with principles, ensuring that both the ends and the means of our mission statement — both the contribution and the methods used in making the contribution — are principle-based. — Stephen R. Covey, First Things First

All this turning away from one another is terrible for our souls. When we live in a world in which ethical and spiritual goals have been excluded and ridiculed, we find the human spirit shrinking with disastrous consequences. Selfishness and cynicism are bad for our physical and psychological health. . . On the one end of the continuum, people approximate the extreme of caring only for themselves. On the other end, people begin to approach the biblical ideal; seeing every single human being as created in the image of God, and hence as infinitely precious and deserving of our care and respect. — Michael Lerner, The Politics of Meaning

THE FRONT
Value has the same root as valor, meaning strength.

Webster’s first definition pertains to money. It means a fair price for something sold or exchanged. It refers to the worth of a thing in money or goods at a certain time, the market price. It describes purchasing power.

Value means whether a thing or idea is regarded as more or less desirable, useful, or important. It points to that which is esteemed for its own sake, having intrinsic worth.

Value also pertains to social principles, goals or standards held or accepted by an individual, class or society.

In music, value is related to timing: the relative duration of a note, tone, or rest.

What a person holds in esteem defines his character. Whether a person consistently acts according to these values is the measure of her integrity. Living congruent with beliefs and promises affords peace of mind. Ignoring beliefs or violating commitments tears individuals, businesses and communities apart. We sicken and fail mentally, then physically, one at a time and then collectively.

Used divisively, “family values” is a polarizing slogan that stirs up political animosities. It places moral assumptions above the timeless values of wisdom and heart-felt compassion. In The Bible Code, Michael Drosnin observes that the family of man has fragmented into competing religions whose extremist leaders would rather destroy the planet than share the holy city of Jerusalem. According to him, placing the values of pride, ownership and sheer hatred over love of life signals the end of times.

In contrast, in I Ching context, moderation is esteemed as the greatest social value. For example, R.L. Wing’s version of Hexagram 15, “Moderation,” observes: “The enlightened person reduces the excessive and increases the insufficient. He weighs the outside world and bring about equality.”

Thus, to react with extremes of hatred towards those act hatefully endangers us all. Reacting with extreme fear to end-stage prognosis poisons the quality of whatever time remains. I Ching wisdom would call us to center and balance, moderating cultural conditioning with self-confidence and self-discipline. Where there is insufficient love and trust, they must be restored. Where there is excess fear, panic and resistance, they must be reduced. If the span of life, whether individual or collective, be short, then the value of each moment left is so much the greater.

Wisdom traditions regard survival in terms of soul, not body alone. We do our best when we focus not on the fact that we eventually die, but on how we use our allotted time on earth. Then, every day becomes a precious opportunity to earn what Elizabeth Kübler-Ross calls a “good death:” safe passage to the beyond with our life-work accomplished — lessons learned and commitments fulfilled.

Increasingly dangerous times heighten the sense of urgency and value placed on making the best of every day. Prophecies simultaneously warn of the end and promise a new beginning for those who live the law. The Bible Code can be read as yet another wake-up call, a reminder that the time to put our lives in order is NOW.

Mortality is a given. Experiencing immortality, however, is a choice. We can either follow the sleep-walker’s path to oblivion or value I Ching wisdom, heeding the DNA Bible code written in our hearts, remaining alert and awake to hear and do whatever it takes to ultimately survive.

THE BACK
Opposites of value include scorn, contempt, and rejection. Closing off awareness of connection results in failure to honor life. By denying creative potentials in ourselves and others, we underrate and debase our collective worth.

Overestimating the worth of money, status and physical beauty is a perversion of value. Unthinking acceptance of others’ opinions as more important than personal health, integrity, or self-esteem has a corrupting effect, resulting in puppet-like behavior. Portfolio value can vanish overnight; the soul’s worth is eternal.