Why we hung that banner

The words above stretch across The Heritage Foundation’s building in a 60’ by 30’ banner honoring Charlie and Erika Kirk. We mean it not just as decoration, but declaration. They’re a challenge to a generation taught to delay commitment, avoid responsibility, and pursue fleeting pleasures. But what if the good life isn’t something you find after years of wandering? What if it’s something you build—starting now? 

We live in a culture that tells young people to wait. Wait to settle down. Wait to marry. Wait to have kids. Wait to pursue purpose. Nearly 90% of parents say it’s very or extremely important to them that their kids are financially independent and enjoy their work. Only around 20% say it’s very or extremely important that they get married or have kids. Nearly half say it is not too important or not important at all. 

That means we’re failing our kids. The longer they wait, the more they drift. The good life—rooted in faith, family, vocation, and joy—isn’t a distant reward for those who survive their twenties (or thirties!). It’s a daily decision, and it begins with courage. Maybe just the courage to ask a girl out, in person! 

“Get Married.”  

Scripture declares a simple truth: “It is not good for man to be alone.”  (Those of us with bachelor friends can confirm this.) Marriage is not just a romantic ideal we hope for some day—it’s the first bond of society, as Cicero put it. Winston Churchill, who led a nation through war, called persuading his wife to marry him his “most brilliant achievement.” 

Social science backs this up. Married men and women ages 25 to 55 are almost twice as likely to report being “very happy” than their unmarried peers. Only 1 in 10 married women report feeling lonely most or all the time, compared to 20% of unmarried childless women. Married fathers earn more, commit fewer crimes, and are far less susceptible to suicide and self-destructive behavior than unmarried men.

Marriage isn’t a burden—it’s a blessing. So why wait? Work to make yourself marriageable and then seek out the right young lady, young men. 

“Have Kids.”  

The first command given to humanity was “Be fruitful and multiply.” Edmund Burke saw society as a partnership not only between the living, but between the dead and those yet to be born. Children connect us to the past and the future. 

Among married women with children, 40% report being “very happy,” compared to just 22% of unmarried childless women. And 80% of parents say parenting is enjoyable most or all of the time. Children don’t steal your joy—they deepen it. 

“Build a Legacy.”  

Proverbs tells us, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children” (13:22). But legacy isn’t just wealth—it’s what we do that lasts. As Benjamin Franklin put it: “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do things worth writing.” 

Psychologist William Damon of Stanford University found that young people who pursue something “meaningful to the self and consequential for the world” experience greater energy, emotional stability, and resilience. Legacy gives life direction. 

“Pass Down Your Values.”  

Deuteronomy commands us to teach God’s words diligently to our children—when we sit, walk, lie down, and rise. Thomas Jefferson believed it was the duty of parents to instruct their children in liberty and virtue. Seneca reminded us: “No man was ever wise by chance.” 

Parents often say their greatest joy comes not from their children’s accomplishments, but their character. I bet that is true for you, if you are a parent. Like the Apostle John, many testify that they have no greater joy than hearing their children are living in the truth. 

“Pursue the Eternal.”  

Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth … but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”  Socrates taught that the soul is immortal and must be cared for above all. James Madison believed that faith in a wise and good God was essential to moral order and human happiness. 

The Pew Religious Landscape Survey shows that those who go to church more than once a week are nearly twice as likely to be “very happy” as those who seldom attend. Eternity isn’t a distraction—it’s a compass. 

“Seek Joy.”  

In his letter to the Phillipians, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice.” C.S. Lewis called joy “the serious business of heaven.” Horace said, “He who is content with little possesses everything.” 

Social science confirms that joy—especially eudaimonic joy rooted in meaning and purpose—is more durable than fleeting happiness. Those who seek comfort often find emptiness. Those who seek meaning find joy. 

Charlie Kirk reminded a generation that the good life isn’t found in self-indulgence, but in self-giving. His challenge on that banner wasn’t a slogan—it was a summons. If we want to honor that legacy, we don’t need to wait for permission or perfection. We need to live it. Right now. In our homes, our churches, our friendships, and our vocations. The best tribute to a life well-lived is to carry the torch onward. 

So to the next generation: Don’t wait for joy. Build it. Get marriageable and then get married. Have kids as the Lord allows. Pursue a vocation that serves others. Pass down your values. Seek the eternal. 

The good life isn’t a distant dream—it’s a daily decision. And it starts now.