Jack Powers, a fellow Woodruff High School graduate, called me with an intriguing suggestion: “Mitch, why don’t you, me, Alton Barnett and Kenneth King get together to discuss what unique values we received growing up in a small town and how they have influenced our lives?”

Since Jack’s call, coupled with all the attention being paid to values in the current presidential election, I have given his suggestion a lot of thought. The four of us were friends and classmates. Jack, Alton and I also graduated from Furman University together. The three of them remained in the upcountry while I eventually migrated to Charleston.

What values are bedrock to you? In other words what matters most in life – family, money, power, faith, prestige, security, country, community, honest, integrity, respect?

Of the 16 most commonly held moral values listed by the Institute for Global Ethics, honesty is ranked in first place by most people. The Institute asks respondents to select five from compassion, freedom, generosity, honesty, honor, humility, justice, loyalty, moral courage, obedience, peace, respect, responsibility, social harmony, tolerance and trustworthiness.

What five words would best describe your core beliefs? Of course, five words can’t adequately describe anyone, and some words I would choose for myself aren’t present on the list of choices; nevertheless, such an exercise does cause us to examine ourselves.

There are so many opportunities, challenges and temptations that bombard us every day that we often feel splintered or fractured. If our values are firmly in place, then the choices are easier.

Like most people I would choose honesty as my first value, followed by trustworthiness, responsibility, loyalty and moral courage. If I could cheat and select a sixth (there goes honesty) I would select respect. Respect is an essential element in how we treat each other. I cannot respect you if I don’t respect myself.

My choices sure sound dull. I hope people can trust me to do what I say I will. I hope I am a man of my word. Responsibility weighs heavily on most of our shoulders. This is rooted in the American Work Ethic, which is firmly rooted in our various religious heritages.

Loyalty is the easiest choice for me. I am patriotic to my bones, loyal to my family, faith and employer. I believe as long as I receive a paycheck from an employer, then I owe that organization my loyalty. When I can no longer be loyal, I should leave.

Moral courage is easy to select but hard to exercise. Standing up for your beliefs, your principles can be tough when those around you feel differently.

Talking about our values is not just important in an election year. Our values determine how we lead our lives, how we rear our children, how we operate our business, how we live our faith, how we treat each other day in and day out even when there is no election.