June is the month to celebrate fidelity. On June 14, Americans annually celebrate their fidelity to our United States flag – the symbol of our nation. June is the popular month to tie the knot and fully commit yourself to a spouse. Everyone craves the trust and support that come with fidelity. No one wants or desires unfaithfulness or the lies and mistrust that come with infidelity.
All of us should strive to be the best person; someone who is true, faithful, and honorable – and not to lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do, as the West Point code of honor states. Let’s all use this month of June to celebrate the enduring values of fidelity and honor those who live faithfully. It’s the life all of us crave and the key to happiness.
My mother, Phyllis Schlafly, signed all of her letters “Faithfully, Phyllis”.
Faith was central to the life of Phyllis Schlafly. She had faith in God and Jesus Christ as her Savior. She was faithful in her marriage to her husband, Fred. She was faithful to our nation, the United States of America. Phyllis spent her life promoting and protecting America. I honor the legacy of my mother’s faithfulness. Her word was always true and she was always faithful.
The 43-year marriage of my parents is a study in fidelity. My father fully supported my mother in four key ways: spiritually, financially, intellectually, and emotionally. He was her rock. Fred Schlafly also protected my mother; I well remember the day when he summarily fired a male employee who attempted to get physically close to my mother. My mother cared for my father during his lengthy decline into dementia and Fred died at home. She then had 23 years of widowhood and never considered remarriage or removing her wedding ring. As Paul Newman said about his 50-year marriage to Joanne Woodward, “I have steak at home; why should I go out for hamburger?”
Their passion for truth, justice, and the American way is an inspiration to me. Like my mother, I am a widow; my husband passed away from cancer five years ago. I will always miss him. As I continue to grieve, I am consoled by remembering his faithfulness to me and my faithfulness to him. I was blessed with a very happy and successful marriage to a man who protected me and supported me in these four key ways. Lately, I have been blessed with a marriage to a widower and again I have found the joys of fidelity in marriage. Marriage brings joy.
Today, fidelity is undervalued and mocked. Young people are encouraged to explore a wide range of emotional and sexual experiences. “Bisexual” and “pansexual” are euphemisms for unfaithfulness. Young people are encouraged by popular culture to play around and experiment, rather than committing to a long marriage with a lifetime partner. Only 45% of Americans are currently married, which means that so many are missing out on the fulfillment that comes through marriage and commitment. My mother and I can both attest that there is no substitute for the lifelong satisfaction that comes from a faithful marriage. Both of us wished for more time with our wonderful husbands.
I am fortunate to both witness and experience marriage as not just fidelity, but high fidelity.