Mount Rushmore Musings Part 3

Growth is one of my top values. As a lifelong learner, I am very clear that there are more things in life to learn about and more ways to grow and develop as a human being than I will understand in my lifetime.  Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States was chosen to be a part of the Mount Rushmore Monument because he represented the growth of the United States.

“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.” -Thomas Jefferson

The pursuit of Happiness is where my mind began to wander as I read this quote. Each of us has the privilege and the responsibility to define what life, liberty, and happiness are for us. There is no right or wrong answer to the question only what is true for us.

As you ponder the things in life that make you happy, the things that sustain life and liberty for you, how broadly into the world are you able to think?

How many generations into the future are you able to think?

There are many things, I call them the nature and nurture things, that impact our ability to do this.

Nature is who you are at your core. Your personality and the way you approach life and the things in it like liberty and happiness. This is what is referred to when people talk about your inner being.

Nurture is the life experiences you have had that have informed your beliefs or the rose-colored sunglasses through which you see life. Sometimes these beliefs are formed without a lot of thought from your nature and as such are things you want to check in on often to make sure they are still either true for you or are working well for you. In other words, that you are on track to live life fully, experience liberty in everything, and pursue happiness to its fullest.  However you define each of those.

Enjoy!