Self-Evident, But Not Self-Executing

By chance, I caught President Obama's second inauguration today. I had the day off work and happened to turn on the TV at the right time to the right channel.  Regardless of who you voted for, I think it's hard to deny that this is an important day for our country.  The president's speech, as I would have expected, was eloquent and hopeful.  One part in particular caught my attention.  He started by quoting the most recognizable passage of the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident...that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Then he expressed the relationship of these words to our present realities and continued, "History tell us that while these truths may be self-evident, they've never been self-executing."  Those words rolled over and over in my head.

In many ways I think our country is in a quarter-life crisis of it's own.  Compared to other civilizations in Europe and Asia, the United States is still a young nation.  We might be the poster child of Freedom and Democracy, but we're still learning about these things too.  And we have room for growth.  Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  There's a key word in that phrase: Pursuit.  Our desires aren't givens; we have to find a way to successfully ensure them.  This is a reality for both the nation and the individual.  I've learned where my interests lie, and I'm beginning to form a vision for my career.  The hardest part now is the execution.  How do I bridge that gap?   Because it certainly isn't going to fall in front of me.

Outside of the inaugural address, the most moving part of the day happened at the very end.  As President Obama exited the ceremony, he paused to take one last look at the crowd.  Here's a man who makes the toughest decisions in the country, and arguably the world.  This is probably the last time he will see his supporters amassed in such a large number.  

Sometimes I feel alone in my pursuit and that the odds are against me.  However, I know there are always people to whom I can turn for strength no matter what happens.  Whether you're the President of the United States of America or a wandering twenty-something, I think that can be the most important thing to remember.