Patriotism
“a devotion to one’s country”
Let me start by reminding everyone that the MotD “words” and the background paper are randomly chosen each day. Late last fall, I researched and foraged the interweb for at least 366 words that could be considered “value” words; I came up with 378 words. I had forgotten that today’s word was on the list.
That being said…the timing of this word is quite fascinating considering that we here in America are grappling with as we approach our rather contentious national election next week. I realize that other countries are facing similar issues. It may have us all wondering: what does it mean to be patriotic. I am far from being someone who can give the answer to that question justice…I’m not even going to try.
Instead I’m feeling pulled towards focusing on the word operative word of the definition: “devotion”. Which begs the question, what does it mean to be devoted to someone or something?
AI Alert: I went to ChatGPT to garner some help with this one. I wanted to see if I could put their answer into my own words but the result was too perfect to ignore. Here it is (I added the bold):
“To be devoted generally means to have a deep commitment or loyalty to something or someone, usually accompanied by consistent actions that reflect care, dedication, and a sense of responsibility.
In the context of one’s country, being devoted means showing a sense of loyalty, pride, and responsibility towards the well-being and values of the nation. This devotion can manifest in various ways, like participating in civic duties, supporting fellow citizens, respecting national symbols, and working towards the country’s improvement. It’s a sense of belonging and shared purpose with the larger community, embodying an investment in the country’s future and its principles.
Devotion, when focused on patriotism, isn’t necessarily about agreeing with every decision made by a government or institution; it’s about caring for the nation’s overall welfare, often involving a willingness to engage with its issues constructively to see it grow and thrive.”
I realize this answer could also apply to families, friendships, organizations, businesses, and even to this planet…ESPECIALLY this planet.
How about you? Is patriotism a core value for you?
btw…if you were curious about the prompt I used…here it is:
I’m writing a blog post about patriotism with the focus on the definition for being devoted to one’s country. What does it mean to be devoted…in general and towards one’s country?
BTW…here’s what it looked like to begin with …
joyfully,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
🌟 bringing sanity to an insane world through the art of mandalas
About the 2024 Mandalas of the Day
Each day I will create and post a mandala inspired by one of 366 “value” words chosen randomly. The objective being to discover for myself which ones would best represent my core values…and by doing so, I hope it inspires you to determine your own.
Mandala of the Day 