History oversimplifies history...
And, in doing so, creates an unrealistic expectation of mankind.
I have been listening to the biography of Thomas Jefferson by Jon Meacham and am constantly dumbfounded by how drastically we oversimplify how the United States was formed.
Thomas Jefferson struggled and battled his whole life trying to shape and influence the direction of the United States.
At the time, no other country existed with a system like this one.
There was a huge faction that didn't want to break away from England.
There was tremendous debate and struggle between the balance of power between the States and the Federal Government.
And, nothing ended with a war or a declaration. It just continued.
Thomas Jefferson was seen as weak and a coward by many when as Governor of Virginia, he hid from the oncoming British, ran from them, and let them take over the state without a fight.
He battled many times and in many ways the issue of slavery and died never having resolved it.
The arguments of the Federalists, the French, the Native Americans... even the many that wanted to form some kind of monarchy with the Presidential role...! Even AFTER the revolution, many in America wanted to establish some kind of monarchy because it was "what they knew worked in the pats", even if it was exactly the dynamic that they had run away from...
History was not a bunch of guys with "Founding Fathers" on their business cards who met around a table decided to declare independence and write up a constitution and the rest is history...
History is made up of many, many men who spent their LIFETIMES battling, struggling, challenging, compromising, inching the world forward one hard conversation after another...
Life is not linear.
Progress is not linear.
But, it can all be joyful.
Ghandhi didn't achieve what he achieved by doing a hunger strike and having the British give in.
MLK didn't accomplish what he accomplish with a single speech by the Lincoln Memorial.
Starbucks didn't appear out of nowhere in the late '90s.
Google didn't just spring up out of a college dorm.
Jack Ma didn't create Alibaba overnight in China in the dormant cyber world.
History oversimplifies history and captures lifetimes in a soundbyte. The longest versions of history we read these days is the two page summary on wikipedia. I have spent 30 hours listening to the life of Thomas Jefferson, I spent 40 hours listening to the life of Ghandi, and 20 hours on the life of Jack Ma... and I realize even those hours and hours are "miniscule soundbytes" regarding the struggle, the dedication, the effort, the BATTLE they declared for the harmony they sought in their lives.
Oversimplyfing effort robs us of truth.
Oversimplifying success robs us of reality.
EVERYTHING worthwhile takes effort, and everything that tries to move things forward requires CHANGE which exponentially increases effort...
ACCEPTING that LIFE is LIFELONG...
And, while we certainly can set up goals and gates and milestones along the way,
It's important to do that embracing reality... embracing effort, perseverance and stamina.
The world keeps "moving faster" and our own expectations of the quality of life keeps growing exponentially...
It's not TRUE.
A meaningful life requires a lifetime of dedication.
Whatever part of the world around you, you are going to change, to improve...
Don't consider giving up...
Embrace all the reasons why everyday makes sense...
And KEEP looking for the changes and the battles and the purpose...
worthy of your lifetime...
And, then keep showing up....
So that, someday out in the future, someone will capture the beauty and the struggle of your entire life in a single breath.
in harmony,
Nestor