On occasion, there comes time to review, even relearn, history. All history, but specifically our history -- the history that extends in a straight line behind us. Me and you. Me. Rekindling my understanding of my historical societal, cultural, and familial motivations, values, influences, and decisions keeps me rooted as I examine myself and how I share my own motivations, values, influences, and decisions. In seeking to understand my impact and my legacy, I must remember, reassess, and rely on my past. And be equally prepared to relinquish, refute, refine, or relay its components. I must choose my response to each past particular -- grasp, adjust, or reject -- in order to know my path in the present and preserve my hopes for the future.
Amidst all the hustle of daily life, all the mayhem of media, all the noise of everything else, taking time to avoid pointing fingers, avenging slights or buying (and selling) fallacies to take a deep breath, to ponder, to illuminate, to truly know oneself through personal examination . . . takes an energy, expertise, and enthusiasm few of us possess or frankly, desire. Me too.
It takes being heroic for oneself. Which is a reason I pursue reading and exploring leadership studies. I believe there is much in common between true heroism and quality leadership, between quality heroics and true leading. I am fascinated with an effort to entwine them into what I call 'heroic leadership' - though it eludes my abilities thus far, as on the surface it seems superficial, a combination of idealistic and, well, silly. Which is why I examine historical figures of import and find exciting reminders like this blogpost by John R. "Barney" Barnes (US Navy, Ret -- who reads rather dang impressive himself!), wherein he shares 10 quotes by founders of this, my history, 'American project' that combine their thoughts of our relationship to government and God.
All quotes are worthy of pondering and their own discussions, but I especially respect quotes from the 2nd US President, John Adams:
”We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.”
And one from the first US Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton:
”The fundamental source of all your errors, sophisms, and false reasonings is a total ignorance of the natural rights of mankind. Were you once to become acquainted with these, you could never entertain a thought that all men are not, by nature, entitled to a parity of privileges. You would be convinced, that natural liberty is a gift of the beneficient Creator to the whole human race, and that civil liberty is founded in that; and cannot be wrestled from any people, without the most manifest violation of justice.”
These are truths I believe should be held self-evident.