Opinion: Liberty greatest gift you can give

Just about the most valuable gift any human can give another is to fully respect the other person’s liberty. As long as they aren’t harming anyone else’s life, liberty, or property you don’t interfere. Live and let live.

You can do this for those you love and for those you only tolerate. You can even give this gift to people you don’t like at all; people whose way of life or politics is disgusting to you, as long as they aren’t victimizing anyone.

The hardest part is being honest with yourself as to whether or not they are actually violating someone. It can be difficult to admit someone you don’t like has a right to do things you don’t personally approve of.

This doesn’t mean you give up your right to defend yourself if they violate you -- that’s never part of the deal.

Everyone is open to giving gifts to those they love and who love them; it’s an extraordinary act of love to give such a nice gift to people who you know don’t like you. Those who wouldn’t do the same for you, and who might even wish to see you destroyed. This makes the gift more valuable.

Another good thing about liberty: you don’t need a box to put it in and it never needs to be wrapped. Putting liberty in a box destroys it and any wrapping is going to detract from the gift.

I know some are tempted to wrap liberty in a flag or a document, but those things don’t make liberty better in any way.

Liberty is also inflation-proof.

Giving the gift of respecting liberty doesn’t usually cost you anything but your pride. Sometimes this price seems the most out of reach, at least for many of us. Money is relatively easy to let go of; pride can be harder.

It’s a good thing pride isn’t something you should hold on to anyway. Getting rid of it is going to help you, too. It’s a gift that benefits the giver as much as it benefits the recipient.

So reach into that vault of pride and let some of it go in exchange for the gift of liberty for someone who needs it so you both come out better off than you were before.

Merry Christmas to you and your family, and may you feel the liberty to be your best self through the holiday and beyond.

Farwell’s Kent McManigal champions liberty. Contact him at:

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