Senator John McCain, the decorated Vietnam War hero and prisoner of war, delivered a deeply personal commencement address at Liberty University in 2006 — a visit that was itself controversial, as McCain had previously clashed with the school's founder, Jerry Falwell. But the speech transcended politics, offering a meditation on service, sacrifice, and the meaning of a life well lived. McCain confessed that as a young man, he thought glory was the highest attainment and that all glory was self-glory. It wasn't until his years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam — dependent on his fellow captives for survival — that he discovered something deeper: that serving a cause larger than yourself doesn't diminish your identity but enlarges it. This line captures the central insight of his life and career.