Why We Compete
Letter from the Editor
“The important thing in Life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” These words were spoken by Pierre de Coubertin, a French historian who is considered the father of the modern Olympic Games. He sums up eloquently why we, humanity, need to compete.
Josh Harris (Auburn) knows quite a bit about this already. Under the lights of NRG Stadium this past February, Harris watched as the seconds ticked off the clock and sealed the fate for the Atlanta Falcons in what would go down as the largest comeback in Super Bowl history. While that loss certainly stung, Harris woke up the next day and continued what he had been doing his whole life. Competing.
This is also something many Commanders understand. At College of Chapters they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be successful and guide their chapters towards excellence. The achievement of that goal will not be instantaneous, and thus it will taste bitter to those who seek instant gratification for their meagre efforts, but others will bask in the glow of having struggled and that will be what molds men of honor.
For some, they will reach their podium and will reap the just accolades of their actions. It will be stories like 2016-2017 Man of the Year James Markos’ (Mississippi) that inspire us to do more, be better, and struggle for our honor every day.
Or take Founder Greenfield Quarles (VMI) as an example of this maxim. At the age of eighteen he had already been wounded in battle and seen blood of friends spilled next to him. Regardless, he embarked on a mission with two other great men to fight against the evils of hazing at the Virginia Military Institute. His life would go on to be a fine example for others that we are at our best when we are in a pursuit of something greater than ourselves.
In this issue we celebrate the majesty of competition and the way it reveals itself in the brothers of this Fraternity, and hope that these stories will inspire you in your own struggles. If you find yourself victorious, be grateful and humble knowing that you earned it. More importantly, if you find yourself coming up short, take solace in knowing that you have fought well. After all, hundreds of thousands of your fellow Knights in the Legion of Honor will always ensure you will have not fought alone.
Fraternally Yours,
Drew Logsdon (Western Kentucky)
Managing Editor