There is common ground out there yet.
On this July 4th, let’s recommit to the original idea of equality set forth 244 years ago and create more common ground in this country through action and kindness.
It may be the most recognizable sentence in the American English language: “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.”
Deep in our souls, this rings true. And, like the teachings of the great religions of the world it is deeply virtuous…but it is also aspirational. The men who conceived of these ideas were as imperfect as we are now, but we owe it to them and to all others who sacrificed to make this experiment work to keep pushing for the aspirational goal of equality that they set for us.
A common theme of our times is that we cannot move forward together because we are fundamentally divided. So we must fight to find common ground – and service is a very effective way to find that common ground. We generally do not see people deeply involved in performing a service engaged in partisan debate. They are too busy acting. They may be pushing a disabled car to safety, rescuing a child in deep water, feeding hungry people, giving directions, aiding the sick, caring for older people, counseling refugees, fundraising for charity, shoveling snow off the roof of their church or any number of organized (or ad hoc) gestures of kindness. It is through acts of kindness that we can find a way unite.
Kindness + Action = Citizenry
Happy 4th.