“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
We are created equal. Much controversy is centered on this unsuspectingly-incendiary opening statement of of Declaration of Independence, specifically the word, “equal”, and much argument has ensued in the past over its’ meaning. In order to fully understand this ‘equality’ we should evaluate the word in its context. Equal is not the final word, this statement is clarified further (hence the comma) and not absolutified with a period. We are created equal, THAT we are endowed with certain inalienable rights. Meaning, we are not equal beings as most people misinterpret, but rather we are equal entities; in that we are created to have the same, unrepealable rights of livelihood in our earthy citizenry. Case in point, few were created equal to the physical fortitude of say, Jesse Owen or Greta Waitz, or the intellectual capacity of Rosalind Franklin or Albert Einstein, not to speak of the charismatic prowess of Elvis and Marylyn Monroe; and to think we were would be absurd. We were created physically and mentally unique, equality lies in our spirit. It is through our liberty and pursuits that we exercise these rights and stand enabled to be equal with each other; sojourners pursuing happiness.
Rights do not equate to capacity or ability, only availability. Just because one has the right to do something does not mean one has the ability to do it or the faculty to choose to. Inalienable rights means they are for everyone. The corollary of an individual’s pursuits can be compared to a carrot on the end of a stick, ideally aligning with the pursuits of others for a common good. Occasionally one’s ideas of pursuing happiness do not align with others’, so we need laws. Carrot or stick, we are free to choose our means, and consequently, our resultant ends. Living under this intrinsic law structure allows those uniquely created individuals to be equal. Are we then able to do whatever everyone else does? No, but we are free to try, and free to succeed or fail within the confines of the aforementioned rules, both as individuals and collectively as a nation. Pursuit is not attainment; there is no guarantee of achievement, but as members of this citizenry we are endowed with the inalienable right to try. How you approach it, ready yourself for it, and ultimately fetch or forfeit it falls squarely on you. Again, to test this, one need look no farther than the grand equalizer of the kitchen.
It was a typical night in the kitchen. Hours had been spent preparing for the service and the tickets were pouring in.
“Order one gill, order fire one saute, pick up on one roast, pick up on one Risotto”, and so on. Things were going as expected and the plates were flying out.
A good way into service, but nowhere near close enough to the end to make the next conversation acceptable;
“Chef, 86 sauted chicken!”, my saute cook cried.
“86 Chicken ?...seriously?”, I queried, I wasn’t keeping a close tab on the counts, but I was pretty sure we shouldn’t be OUT of a dish this early on.
“Yes Chef.” The cook's voice almost dripped relief as he became aware that I was aware of his situation.
I thumbed through the spent dupes. It didn’t add up. Sure we were busy, but not “run out before the end of service” busy.
“86...chicken...you’re sure?”, I mean maybe I had an aneurism, and did not witness the some two dozen or so chickens missing from my queue and mental inventory leave the kitchen, but as I was not currently suffering from a sharp debilitating retinal headache or blurred and/or double vision, I concluded my mental acuity was functioning normally. Soooo, where’d the chickens go? My questions became more pointed as my cook’s affirming nods waned, suggesting deepening doubt of his situation.
“We are in fact OUT of chicken. Is that what you are saying? NO chicken…”.
“Uhhhhhhhh”, he moaned sensing the encircling doom. “Well, we're not out of chicken.”
“So if we’re not out of chicken...why are we 86ing the dish!?!”. By now I figured it out, and I was really leaning into him, figuratively and literally; as most of you know (or at least suspect by now), I have no concept of personal space or polite boundaries in the kitchen.
“WELL ?! We have chicken...why can’t I sell this dish !?!”’
Chirp...chirp...chirp...the kitchen fell silent. The cook’s elevated sweat level, his darting eyes, his little gasps for breath; this was shaping up to be a good response….and here it came.
“But Chef...I’m out of carrots.”, carrots in this instance being the side dish that completed the sauteed chicken dish, thus making it ready for service and sale to the guest.
“OHHHHHH, you’re out of carrots. Well that makes perfect sense.” By the way he began to shrink away from this engagement he might have sensed my sarcasm.
“I mean why would you want to walk all the way over to the cooler to fetch 40 cents worth of vegetable so I can sell my 20 dollar entree when you can just 86 it and get paid to sit on your hands?”.
Again, nothing, his eyes just grew wider.
“AND, that’s not even beginning to mention the fact that you didn’t account for all your mise and set up your station properly.”
“Would you like to call it a day? Pack it up? Punch out...go home? Is that what you want? Would that make you happy?”
“Maybe I could go over and get them for you, cut them and get them ready for the next few dozen plates were gonna sell?” You might have guessed by now I was laying it on a bit thick.
“Or maybe, just maybe, if you thought real hard, believed in yourself and tossed your magic beads and had them land just so, carrots might mystically appear out your bum and onto my plates and save you?”.
“Should I make some more carrots then, Chef?”
“I think that would be best.”
So on this day of great historical disencumberment, take some time and recognize all the blessings you have in the free life you live. You live and are free; free to come and go as you please, speak your mind, worship the God you choose or eschew, perform the work that pleases you, provides best for you (or both), and spend the profits on that which you choose. The choices you make with this life, and liberties, one would hope would bring you happiness or at least point you in that direction. Perhaps it would be well for me to pull a few quotes to remind us of our blessings of such a diligent and sacred pursuit from the final phrases in each verse of the Bates’ classic “America the Beautiful”. Resultant of the great favor of American citizenry, resides in extending our natural affection of kin to all, so as to “crown thy good with brotherhood” for the benefit of all the country, “from sea to shining sea”. Objectified benefits of national moral fortitude, our freedom through law abiding, expressed ”confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.” Culminating in the graciously granted success of a righteous and fire tested culture, “may God thy gold refine, til all success be nobleness, and every gain divine.” Our life, our liberty, our pursuit of happiness, divine gifts we were created to enjoy. Enjoy, that is, as sought. Please remember, pursuit is a verb; what you seek after, you will find. Happiness will not land in your lap, happiness is not a right waiting for you, but your availability to pursue it is. Ready yourself, make a plan, and pursue your happiness. And don’t be upset if happiness hasn’t found you, rather, be upset with yourself for not having tracked it down. Happy Birthday America, “God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.” Amen to that, now if we could just manage to live like we meant it.
