I am focusing on an imagined image, where the iconic American artist, the late Norman Rockwell is standing before a blank canvass pondering painting a scene, a collage of sorts of America. Known for his realistic depictions of American life, Rockwell is constructing a self-portrait of his country, “from sea to shining sea.” But, for a few minutes he stands quietly, reflecting on what needs to be placed in the images he captures on his stretched material. I can see him thinking about what he must include, but more importantly, it must be honest, true and not fitting the emotional needs of those who want to see something other than truth. Fortunately for us his era preceded ours. Where today stark truth is eclipsed by empty opinions, as they are validated by commercial appeal and high entertainment values. It is an era where opinions weigh more than facts.
In his hand Rockwell holds his favorite brush. He twists it a few times and then closes his eyes to envision what he wants to say to America. No models are present to guide his thoughts, just memories about the past he has witnessed and ideas about the future. One thing is for sure, he sees an America which has retired from the world. Too many people have fallen prey to living in the past. No longer do they have to think about tomorrow, even for many too young to withdrawal, they seem content by simply being content. Is this their entitlement as Americans?
Ever present in expanding screens TV angels wing their way into the hearts and minds of those in blissful repose. The content is mentally non-caloric, deprived of all nutritional substance. Not surprising Rockwell decides to depict an intellectually anemic audience, stationed center stage, with eyes bowed, but not in prayer. Instead, they are just tired! Most have worked all their lives, but not on farms or factories, like generations before. They have worked with their minds, not with their backs, nor letting their hands suffer wear and tear from manual labor. Stress claimed many of them, stranding their colleagues, friends and neighbors with only pictures of smiles on good days now gone.
I look up and see Norman Rockwell staring at me. He is lighting his pipe, but not for a second does he look away from my eyes. For a moment I feel cold. Asking myself, “Why is he looking at me?” Thoughts streamed into a damp sweat, my mouth went dry with flashes of fear. A heavy internal dialogue pursued me while I watched the picture unfold.
“Perhaps he needs me in the picture? Oh no! I am not tired, I am enjoying life. Do I look like I have retired? Please don’t think I look like those poor souls, whose lives were spent to reach the end, only to find they did not live, they merely existed 24/7 . He is still staring at me. Uh oh, he is turning to resume painting.” Suddenly, I recognize that I am his model.
It is in that instant I see why he was looking at me. I am thinking about the same things I have thought about for the past thirty years. Even worse, I am doing the same things at work and in the rest of my life. Why did I not try new things, why did I let my life drift along expecting things to just take care of me? I look up to see what he has done with this naive model?
He has done nothing, except, I can see he has left a space, which looks perfect for my profile. Mr. Rockwell, you clever guy. The message is clear and it is my choice whether or not I want to place myself among the other tired specimen of past organizational life. Then, the painter points to another canvass where he has already started a different painting. On it I can see it shows a different America, with a background more futuristic than historic. Unlike the dull scenery of the first painting, it is a bright scene with people clearly living with imagination, purpose, driving themselves into a diverse and demanding world. It is obvious that it is a world were retiring does not happen. Gone are the days of the Protestant work ethic. I can see you live to live and work is only part of the picture. It is now the American Work Ethic, formed from an introduction of new realities about work, intellectual challenges and an ever present, inescapable drama of change. It is a new, new, world. Welcome America!
So, I can live in the past or I can help create an ever evolving America, with new traditions and new roots. Why? For these new beginnings will keep the society alive, energetic, creative and inspired to surpass all eras set before. On this canvass each new generation paints its own tomorrow, by creating their own lives, which they build for the betterment of the future. Their reward will not be found in being worshiped in the future by the achievements of their day. They know that their ideas, wisdom, and values, simply form blocks in a continuing restructuring of a society. Embedded in their instructions to the future is a warning.
Look around and be not tempted by the fallacy of staying the same for eternity. The future was formed by a willingness to change the future and not let the past tire them into submission and total loyalty to an unrecognizable era. Forgotten by many today, wise people understand that when you change the world, as America has, it has changed America in turn. The changing cannot be reset to a default. Our option is to progress for future generations or regress into building monuments for them to worship us as we worship ourselves today.
Youth and young at heart and mind, want to create their own tomorrows and it is their right to do so. It is not our right to obstruct them, through: retired legislation, obese debt, emperial-like greed, unceasing entitlements, abuse of power, nor through aborting democracy with applause.
Copyright 2010 Michael Mason Norman, ED.D.