By Samantha Parrish –
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
~Declaration of Independence
This week we were blessed with great weather and the opportunity to spend a beautiful 4th of July with family and friends. It was everything you think of when you think of the 4th; Sun, BBQ, Fireworks, flags and time together, but those things are not truly what the day is about. To give a refresher for any that need it, July 4th, 1776 was the day that the Declaration of Independence was first signed, starting the process of the 13 colonies declaring their independence from Great Britain. There was a lot that went into actually becoming an independent nation after this time, but the Declaration of Independence was the catalyst for that change.
I am not trying to get political with my newsletter but rather take you back and remind you what makes that day so special. A new concept was introduced – we have the right – because we are people – to have a say in our government. This had not been done before, holding the government accountable. There was a time when British rule was just accepted as the ‘norm’, not changeable, not up for discussion or dispute. After all, Kings and Queens had been ruling countries for centuries – that was the way it was – until someone (or a group of someones) decided things could and should be different.
There is so much to respect and admire about the men that drafted up the lines above, but today I’m focusing on 2 main reasons:
1. They dared to challenge conventional thinking.
2. How they brought this issue to light.
Even today we fall into the trap of traditional thinking – ‘well that is just the way it has always been done’. Imagine over 200 years ago – before the access to all of the information we have now – how that must have felt. These men felt so strongly about their rights that they put their life on the line to draft up and sign the document.
Over and over again history has been changed by people who refused to accept the ‘norm’, this is the way it is and will always be mentality. Great discoveries are found in unconventional thinking. We cannot be afraid to ask questions – in pitching or in life. I often tell parents on the phone that our goal at The Ranch is to help pitchers find a path that they are passionate about and find the plan that works best for them. It’s ok to say the standard plan isn’t for you – ask questions – figure out why – see if there is a better way. That is a part of discovering your path. That’s what the men that signed the Declaration did, they felt strongly about their rights, they huddled with others to brainstorm, and pressed forward with a new plan.
If you note above I had a second reason for respect – the process by which our forefathers went about their rebellion. I think it is noteworthy – this was not rebellion for rebellions sake. Thomas Jefferson was very clear in listing his grievances with king George – these were well thought out. I am not encouraging you all to become vigilantes but instead dial in on what is working or not working for you, strive to move forward with your processes and always accept that there is a possibility of a better way.
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