Virtue. Diligence. Brotherly Love. These three core values are the foundation of my fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon. I can’t even explain to you fully the significance of these words and the eternal meaning they hold for so many people past and present.

A lot of times in life we glisten over the values and ethics that our parents instilled in us, simply because we want to be “rebels” or find our own way to happiness and self-preservation. However, ultimately we always come back to those same ideals, values, and morals.

It’s very hard to explain and that is why I have become to truly appreciate and comprehend the meaning of holding such values and ideals close to us. They help you in so many facets of your life–home, school, work, family issues, friend issues, etc. They guide you in your everyday living to be a better person, a better friend, brother, parent, etc. So when I look at those three fundamental Sigma Phi Epsilon values of Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love, I try to imagine them as a constant battle that we all face and deal with every single day.

None of us are perfect, but we should always be striving for some form of perfection in our lives. And the best way to do that is to have a strong foundation on which to build and create off of.

Virtue: Being true to not only you, but to others, is one of the most fundamental keys to life. Our lives revolve around trust and our ability to treat one another as we would want be treated.

Diligence: Results, no EXCUSES! Simply put we must aim for the stars and work our asses off to achieve anything meaningful in life. We won’t always succeed, but that is the fun of it. We learn from our mistakes and we pick ourselves up and try again. We must be prudent, decisive, and diligent in our efforts to change the world and make it a better place.

Lastly, but surely not least, Brotherly Love: The ability to love one another with truth, harmony, and brotherhood. This is the willingness to sacrifice our time, energies, and all that we are ABLE to give for the betterment of our fraternity, society, and ultimately our world.

We can do this! But to do so, it has to be a 24/7 commitment that we hold dear and true to ourselves constantly pushing one another and challenging one another to be the best we can possibly be. Life is truly a short and precious commodity, as many are dying as I type this from disease, famine, and hopelessness.

In recent light of alleged abuses by a number of Greek organizations on campus, I would like to say that every organization has its ups and downs. We are all students–essentially still learning how to grow and experience life.

Mistakes will be made and we must not stereotype every Greek organization for the lapses of a few. So I ask you to cherish every moment, to live every breath, and stand for something, rather than fall for anything.

Best Wishes, Josh Murphy