Guest Author
“May you live in interesting times,” an oft-used phrase that is often misunderstood.
Many people assume that “interesting” means entertaining and pleasant. In reality, it is not a blessing at all.
The intent of the statement is to wish you the pleasure of living in chaotic and troubling times in the belief that disorder is far more “interesting” than tranquility.
But now, Americans are living in troubling and trying times. This is nothing new for our nation.
“These are the times that try men’s souls,” Thomas Paine wrote in a series of articles titled “The American Crisis” during 1776-77.
Paine wrote those words hoping that perseverance, will, desire for liberty and a willingness to sacrifice would be enough to free the colonies from England and give birth to a new nation. He knew the new nation lacked the tools, resources, and structure to accomplish these dreams, but believed that the power of his words would inspire Americans to overcome those challenges.
George Washington, in the darkest days of Valley Forge, read those words to his troops, seeking to inspire them.
Today we are rich in resources, abundant in technology, replete with all the tools needed to grow freedom, expand liberty and create opportunity for all. Yet we falter.
We continue to be enmeshed in arguments over mechanical details and administrative structure, losing sight of the goals that we all should share. We tolerate a shortage of virtue in some of our leaders and yet we see far too many citizens seeking benefits from government while at the same time they decry others seeking the same or different beneficence.
We have lost sight of federalism; heck, most students never study the concept anymore.
Paine wrote, “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consideration with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
We need to embrace the battles we face with a determination to succeed and the willingness to do what it takes to be the leader of good in this world. We do good deeds because we are exceptional as a nation. We are not made exceptional by our good deeds.
It is our rightly place among nations to foster freedom and opportunity.
The right stuff is within us as a nation. We should not acquiesce to the “stationery state” envisioned by Adam Smith, a place he describes where “laws and institutions” have withered and too many seek something from government. We must look within for the will to succeed; it is not given freely.
In 1829 James Madison predicted that within 100 years we would see rising inequality, disparate opportunities, and “dependence of an increasing number on the wealth of a few.”
How prescient he was!
Yes, we live in interesting times and they do try our souls. Our challenge is to re-energize options for opportunity and to identify leaders who are willing to tackle the intractable – driven by faith in God, faith in themselves and faith in the boundless possibilities that Thomas Paine envisioned.
We must do better!
