Magic

Magical forces were burgeoning when our Declaration of Independence was written.

Pompous, wealthy men who were interested in protecting their possessions were taken in by grandiose ideas. While practical concerns pushed them to holdfast to traditional tyrannies, failing to secure equality for women and blacks, divine ideas inundated the declaration from beginning to end. It was as if two groups of men wrote the masterpiece together, one holding steadfast to established ideals and ordinary concerns, the other being possessed by powerful forces that sought to secure life, liberty and happiness for all. It was not only linguistically stunning, but also ideologically and spiritually stunning, comparable to, and perhaps even surpassing, the zeal of great prophets such as Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

This prophet was not to be contained in any one man, and it was not to serve any one group of people. This prophet sprang from the land, inspiring those who walked its ground and it was here to serve the people, all people. Yes, it was contained in the beginnings of what eventually became an atrocious regime at times, capable of devastating defeats and willing to do anything in its pursuit of power and wealth. But that does not eliminate the magic that was produced here.

We will only go backwards if we choose to throw the baby out with the bath water. Something fowl has grown as people have stagnated in swampy waters of material excess, but magic was here in full force not very long ago. I imagine it might still be here. And this magic was ingrained into the Declaration of Independence. In a culture of change and diversity this one document was made to give us all something strong to stay grounded to as we fly about our new world of limitless possibilities.