I am a Conservative, like my parents and their parents. Human beings naturally crave autonomy, the ability to shape our own lives to the greatest extent possible. The more control we have over our own lives and our government, the more we feel empowered, and the more we can flourish.
Being a conservative is ultimately an understanding that the past, the present, and the future are not entirely different. It is like the notes of a melody, each with an irreplaceable obligation to the whole.