Thinking patriotic this last few days. Reflecting on how rare it is in our society to have a single document govern the system of laws, judiciary, and election process in a country for an extended period of time. The United States is relatively young in its history, but certainly based on previous attempts at a similar system of government. I guess time will tell if the document stands the test of time, however, there certainly has been a significant amount of energy devoted to trying to defend, reinforce and amend the document for the last several hundred years.
However, I am not thinking about the U.S. Constitution this morning. I am thinking about my own! Do I have a set of rules that govern the way I go about life, how I engage in the world around me? Not really. I certainly have goals, ambitions, some of them actually written down. However, I have never gone so far as to draft my formal set of guidelines that I will, or intend to live by.
I wonder what that document would look like? I have a vague sense of it. I think I have thought through many issues, and how to tackle them, but do I have a system? The beauty of the U.S. Constitution has always that it has been a “living, breathing” document. That is has adaptability and balance built into the system. Could I hope to achieve such a thing in my life? Perhaps I am contemplating insanity, and no normal person would consider such a thing!
However, I cannot help but think that seriously considering how I should respond to life’s challenges and opportunities and actually writing that down has value. A value that I will certainly learn as I try to draft a system that governs my life. I suppose there is value to a codified set of laws that govern human behaviour, religions and governments have been doing this for years. I was watching a documentary on a society that formed during revolutionary France and they had a secret code that the members followed. The code was pervasive, it effected generations and generations of people and their families. This caused me to pause and reflect how important it is to declare to yourself and to others what you know to be true and why.
How many of us go through life with a haphazard approach. We develop opinions, come to conclusions, but as our lives end, or as we get accustomed to a certainly view of the world, we become disconnected from this and the wisdom we gain becomes lost in the sea of time. Perhaps you really do have something to contribute to those around you, your articulated system of living, written down could serve as the foundation that strengthens your family for generations to come.
I am going to ponder what it would it would take to draft a simple document that governs my life, the Constitution of Guy. Article I – Today is a New Day – Ride at Dawn.
Guy Reams
