As July has just come to a close, I reflect upon a month when I recalled our history; I was awed by our natural treasures and I re-considered our responsibilities to our children.
Independence
On the fourth of the month we celebrated the independence of our country. Picnics, fireworks and affirmations of pride in being Americans. Many of us even recited once again, the most famous part of the Declaration of Independence, the document which started it all. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” All the while thinking that those words are the totality of that declaration. But there is more.
The Whole Document
Ken Burns spoke at an Independence Day celebration at Monticello. He spoke of the entirety of the Declaration. He spoke of its uniqueness that men of that era would actually declare themselves free; and be willing to assume the responsibility to govern themselves without the direction of a monarch or authoritarian as was common at the time.
He encouraged us to read the entire document (which is only about as long as this article), as he does every Fourth of July. So, I did. I admit it had been a long time since I had done so. I wonder how many of us celebrate our freedom and commit to defend our democracy; yet, haven’t taken the time to fully understand how we got here. The superbly written document outlines the grievances against the tyrant of the time and the steps which had been taken unsuccessfully to resolve them; leading to the necessity for action.
Reading to the end, I found the phrase that completed the full meaning for me. “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Our founders believed that seeking independence required a measure of dependence as well. .
Two Lessons
I share two lessons worth passing on to our children. First, in whatever we do, we should not rely solely on descriptions in sound bites and brief social media posts. We must continue past the headlines and summaries. Words like life, liberty, happiness and inalienable rights are not always enough. There is usually more to the story. We must read on. Get the facts. Digest them for ourselves. Understand who authored them. In short, we should encourage our children to follow the whole story until they discover the full meaning and the truth; then, form opinions based on a comprehensive knowledge.
Secondly, in their wisdom, our Founding Fathers recognized that when taking any action, advocating for an idea or chasing a dream; we must pledge to do so along with our fellow citizens.
My Journey
I ended the month of independence by hiking in the mountains of Glacier National Park. Two magnificent days of hiking took me high
into the mountains along narrow ledges. I hiked with a small group gathered with the common objective of making it to the top. We all had a vision of our journey formed from collections of comments, pictures and descriptions at the trailhead. But, we would not see the “whole picture” until we actually took all the steps to the end of the trail.
We were not disappointed. The rewards for accepting the challenge were many. Beautiful wildflowers. Stunning vistas. Spectacular views of a sprawling valley and mountain lakes colored a breathtaking shade of deep blue. Long horned sheep watched from above as we traversed the trails. Luck provided an unexpected rainbow stretched across the valley below. Only those who accepted the climb enjoyed the spectacular rewards.
Dependence
We were persons from many parts of this country who had the independence to explore nature. While the freedom to experience nature may too be an inalienable right, it also requires dependence. With a dedicated purpose, we supported and encouraged each other along the path. While we were not climbing Mount Everest, there were challenges along the way. Rocks made slippery by rushing water, snow atop a ravine, and the physical exertion required. As the oldest member of the group, even without my asking, others continually checked on me. Offering a steady hand while crossing the snow field, suggesting the safest stepping steps across the flowing water, and continually monitoring my comfort and condition. I proved to be up to the task; but knowing that others “had my back” made a world of difference. Spurred on by acceptance and mutual reliance, we grew from strangers to friends.
Noblest of Aspirations
Whenever I return to hike among our national treasures, I am reminded of those principles upon which our country was founded. They are the noblest of human aspirations. At the end of the trail, I felt alive, free and joyful.
In this month full of inspiration, as I reflected upon our history and appreciated the wonders of our national treasures; I encountered once again the words of Theodore Roosevelt, an advocate of both democracy and our national resources. I found his words instructive as always, “It is not the critic who counts … The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena … who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause … so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Our Responsibility
I wonder. As dads, don’t we have a responsibility to teach our children to examine all the facts until they find the truth? To understand that rights are not entitlements but come with responsibility. But perhaps the most important lesson is that pledging our full support to each other is the distinction that affirms we are all created equal.
