Declarations are defining. Of a country, of a situation, of a person. The courage to make a declaration, on whatever scale, is great, because outside attention is now focused on the progression of the idea stated. The Declaration of Independence in the United States is a great, widely known example of this; a treasonous document at its time in breaking with England. Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses was another, in its rejection of the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. The Revolutionary War followed the Declaration of Independence, as England fought to hold on to its Western territories, and the rise of what became known as Lutheranism followed the Ninety-five Theses. In each case, old ideas, old ways of teaching or governing, old societal ways, were challenged, asking for, and ultimately presenting a new, better way than had been in place. Personal declarations are also courageous, stating that someone is no longer going to be tied to a specific way of living, but has decided to reach higher and further to make themselves a better person, and to live a better life. New Year’s Resolutions are among the most famous and wide-spread of this type of declaration: the diet, the exercise program, finishing that degree, and so many others. And shortly after New Year’s Day, a mad rush to change things occurs, and slows, and is often abandoned without truly reaching the change said to be desired.
What happened to these personal declarations? While made with good intent, there was no blueprint, no plan, no accountability, and willpower lasts only so long before people begin to ‘justify’ not following their plan for change, and slowly slip back into their old ways. It’s why the best of programs, those designed to really help people make lasting changes, build in a plan, with accountability, to help people make those changes, to keep them from quitting when willpower is weak, or non-existent, and to go on and make changes that ultimately make a difference in how they live their lives. In school, there is a plan. A teacher or professor is hired to teach composition, for example. Because students will have varied experience with composition, the lessons build on a simple beginning, growing more complex as the assignments are given, graded, and the teacher begins seeing how individuals need guidance in different ways, and is then able to create an individual plan for each student to reach a specific level of competence by the end of the course. In that very structured environment, most students will improve by the end of the course. Some will excel, and others will write better as a result of the coursework. Of course, the plan is in place with the structure of the course, the accountability is built in with the assignments and corrections, resulting in an easy to follow track. These same sorts of milestones are also built in to the best programs dealing with addictions—drugs, alcohol, sex, etc.—because as humans, we tend to gravitate toward past behavior that ‘rewards’ us in some way, whether that way be positive—life improvement—or negative—addictions to substance or behavior—and we quickly fall back into them without help.
Declarations are made with people, not just a person, in mind. People are needed to help push a declaration forward, in making plans to begin its ascent, and to shepherd its growth to maturation. Not just one person. People. And pluralities are more powerful than many expect. Ergo their power. Even when not organized into a cohesive force, people who believe in something are powerful when the faith in their belief is harnessed, and used for good. To advance education, for example, for ALL! Or to provide health care for ALL. All things that build bridges between humans, not to mention tear down walls between them. Because we all make declarations, whether or not we keep them, push them forward, or let them slide, because we know, deep inside, it is the right way to evolve as humans, rising ever higher, and creating a way for others to rise as well.