We usually think of the 4th of July as
festivities such as fireworks, parades, and BBQ’s. What is often lost in that observation is the
fact that Independence Day is really a celebration of thinking big, and of overcoming
monumental obstacles thrown in our paths by our enemies, events, and our own
personal flaws, and misguided strategies.
After independence was declared in Philadelphia on July 4,
1776, there were many difficult and seemingly impossible obstacles faced by our
“would be” nation. Battles were lost, the economies of the colonies were in
shambles, and many residents of the colonies were actually convinced that the
rag tag Continental Army and ad hoc militias were no match for the greatest
power of the time – the British Empire. Those enemies of independence were
continually throwing up barriers, even on the eve of the final victory of
American Independence at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. For example, just two months earlier on
September 3, 1781, a colonial cavalry unit under the command of my ancestor,
Capt. John Ridgeway, was massacred in the “Cane Break Massacre” in South
Carolina by a loyalist unit subject to the charge of Bloody Bill Cunningham. Despite this discouraging last minute defeat
and others like it, victory was nevertheless realized at Yorktown the very next
month.
During my legal career spanning over 40 years, I have been
witness to the dreams and troubles of thousands of people and small business
owners. Those who ultimately succeeded refused to surrender to the enemies in
their lives – whether those enemies were external or internal. Often the
greatest challenges occurred just before their greatest victory. The lessons of
the American Revolution are still with us today through our individual lives.
My own legal career has also faced the challenges of “enemies”
– whether that enemy was the well-meaning naysaying of family and friends, my
own misguided trust in colleagues, clients, and employees, or my own personal
flaws such as over commitment, the procrastinating of difficult decisions, or
the failure to exercise proper leadership.
For all of us, this Independence Day weekend is a time to
recommit our personal and professional lives to the lessons of the American
struggle to be free from colonial rule. These are the lessons of setting high
goals, recognizing that many will constantly try to derail our efforts to
achieve those goals and the requirment to confront those challenges head on,
and the need to be persistent in our efforts to achieve our goals. This is how
the American dream can be realized in each of our lives.
© Rod Powell
