Knowing Who We Are

I think I know who I am. I’ve thought about this a lot. Not just recently, but most of my life. The quest to understand life started when I was young; it continues to this day. I am serious about this. 

Many ups and downs through the decades but the thinking traveled far and wide, high and low. Most of my conclusions made these days come from that bedrock activity of struggling to know myself.

I have made many mistakes along the way. We all do, I think. That is how we learn – try something, analyze the results; did we succeed or fail? If fail, why? I don’t think we think much about the success except to celebrate the success and move on. It is one of those hubris things.

Ok, having said all of this, what’s my point today?  Just this; who and what I am is my business. Who and what you are is your business. Your conclusions are yours and not my business. And the reverse is also true, my business is mine, not yours.

However, together we share something. Our nation. Our state. Our community. Our neighborhood. And yes, our global village. Together we give those communities definition. It if is our community, what are the elements that make it so for me? Those elements may be different for you, but at least we both love the same community, state, or nation.

The purpose of my addressing this today is simple: I find myself living in a world, state, nation that does not reflect all the truths I think it once did. I fear justice and fairness have been reduced. I fear governments are taking actions in my name when I don’t agree with those actions. This being a democracy, I fret at the loss of control over my own nation. How can non-leaders grab so much control as to thwart and warp who we are as a nation?

My nation is one in which military troops do not sweep into a city or region and take it over. My nation is one that treats everyone fairly and equally. My nation makes educational excellence accessible to all people who want it and have the capability of it. My nation nurtures its citizens to pursue individual dreams for self-advancement and happiness without hurting others.

That entire paragraph does not describe the nation in which I live at the moment. And the trajectory of this status is decidedly downward. America is devolving from its ideals.

That’s my opinion. If a strong majority of you agree with this opinion, then we must admit that something very wrong exists in our land. If that is the case, what do we do to change it? What methods? What outcomes do we hope for? Is our effort legal or extra-legal? If the latter, then what do we do?

I think I know who we are. I know I know who I am. I think I am very much like most of the people living in the United States. If I am wrong about that, someone please tell me.

Help!

July 20, 2020