In the musical “The Music Man” con artist “Professor” Harold
Hill tells his fellow traveling salesmen that you have to know the territory
before he exits a train to sell the good people of River City, Iowa a musical band
with 76 trombones. And then in one of Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry movies San
Francisco detective Harry Callahan after the demise of a crooked cop says to
himself, “A man has to know his limitations.” I reminded of these bits of movie triva while
reading Trusting Grace by J, Claude Huguley. His son Nathan, a dear
friend of mine, presented me a copy of the book for my reading enjoyment.
A perceptive reader is now perhaps asking how a book on
journeying from fear to grace could a demented mind like myself to begin mental
associations with a cons artist salesman and a trigger-proned policeman. Well,
in chapter one , the author briefly introduces four limits which he expounds upon in succeeding chapters.
These limits are:
1. Limited Security
2. Limited Resources
3. Limited Knowledge
4. Limited Choice
Since Huguley does a great job in defining these limits, tt
is not my aim in this essay to dive into descriptions of these limits but rather
use these limits as a springboard into the world of imagination in general and
historical imagination in particular. But before I move on to describe the importance
of possessing a historical imagination, I want to address of how limits play a
vital part in that possession.
First, limits come to us in two ways. There are natural limits
which includes our DNA, our personalities, our emotional states, and our
interests. These limits are with us since birth and cannot be changed or
eliminated. Imposed limits, in contrast, are patterns of behaviors, whether
positive or negative in which we inherit from our families and other human
associations. These limits are changed or eliminated.
Second, many of us see our limits, whether natural or imposed,
as unfair according to our standards. No matter how good we are at a particular
activity, someone else will run faster, jump higher, receive higher test
scores, etc. Rather than compare with others and bemoan reality, we should set
a standard of excellence for ourselves that we will strive to achieve
regardless of what others are doing.
In a recent virtual interview, a former First Lady lamented
the unfairness of life, particularly in regards to skin color in her case.
Coming from a woman who graduated from two Ivy educational institutions, is glamorous,
has a choice of three mansions in which to live, whose husband was elected
president twice, and who has two lovely adult daughters, her lamentations rang
hollow.
Compare her situation to that of a former college and NFL
head football coach who was interviewed several years ago. He grew up in the
rural South, whose father was a bootlegger and gambler, and spent time in
prison, whose mother was addicted to alcohol and drugs, and committed suicide.
When he entered college his fear was that he would be judged by his family
situation. He quickly learned, however, that no one cared about his and that
people only focused on how he conducted himself in the present. He became one
of only a handful of coaches who had won both a college national championship
and a Super Bowl victory.
Third, we must accept our limitations with humility. In the
arena of foreign policy, Robert Kaplan in Warrior Politics that the
constraining forces of geography will be overcome only by accepting them and
the historical records of human interaction with geography. Such an approach “…starts
with humility, with seeing how the struggles of today are strikingly similar of
those of antiquity.” (p.27) (If only our national leaders had understood this
reality when deciding to remain in Afghanistan to “nation build.”)
On a personal level, consider the last lines of William Earnest
Henley’s famed 19th century poem “Invictus”- I am the captain of
my fate; the master of my soul.” While “Invictus” has inspired untold numbers
of folks through difficulties, challenges, and hardships such as Nelson Mandela
in his South African imprisonment, an unbridled commitment to its spirit can lead one to
hubris in which I and I alone am responsible for my success regardless of my
limits, my relationships, or even God.
Finally, on a positive note, we must see, as Huguley
maintains, our limitations as a gift. He notes, “Limitations may feel like
burdens or obstacles, but they are still gifts.” (p. 6) Since our Creator God
graciously gave us gifts, we in turn graciously accept them. Limits in a
profound sense define the boundaries of our humanness because practically we
cannot be all things to all people. Our humanness is then completed as we
partner with God to work on our inner selves.
For far too many years, organizations sought to make their
employees “well-rounded.” Notwithstanding any strengths identified in an
individual, the focus was on changing or eliminating any “weaknesses” found. Hunan
resource departments went to great lengths to create so-called improvement
plans for their employees to take action and their supervisors to monitor
progress. Fortunately, the strengths-based movement has helped to end this
assault upon natural limits while at the same time helping peoplr break free of
negative imposed limits.
Imagination used skillfully can enable us to overcome our realistic
limits and assist us to assess unrealistic limits. Realistic limits, most of
which are imposed, are those that we may be able to challenge with at least some
degree of success while unrealistic limits, most of which are natural, are
those that cannot be challenged to ant degree of success
As a historian, I believe that the proper study of history is
not to fill one’s brain full of dates and events (as important as dates and events
are) but to infuse one with a historical imagination fusing purpose and power
into a powerful tandem. Three examples of this historical imagination will
suffice;
1. In July 1776, the Second Continental
Congress adopted the Declaraion of Independence. Thomas Jefferson, the primary
author of the document, imagined a free and independent United States (purpose).
The ensuing battles with the British Army did not go well until General George
Washington reimagined winter war and led the Continental Army across the Delaware
River in December 1776 to defeat the Hessian mercenaries at Trenton. For much
of the remainder of the war Washington emulated the Roman Legions wearing down
Hannibal when the Carthaginians invaded Italy (power).
2. In July 1863, Federal General John
Buford envisioned the coming battle with Confederate forces at Gettysburg and
positioned his cavalry unit so as to slow down the enemy until reinforcements
arrived (power). The following November at the dedication of the Gettysburg National
Cemetery Abraham Lincoln gave a brief address which became known as the
Gettysburg Address in which he stated a new birth of freedom will come for all
Americans (purpose).
3. In August 1963 Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. gave his “I Have Got a Dream” speech during the March on Washington
in which he announced that in the future Black Americans in particular and by
extension all Americans must be judged by the content of their character and
not by the color of their skin (purpose). The following year the Civil Rights
Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by Lyndon Johnson, This act
outlaws racial discrimination in public accommodations, interstate
transportation, etc. (power)
Historical imagination fusing purpose and power also works
for persons. J.D. Vance decided the break the limits of relationship
dysfunction and substance abuse imposed upon him (purpose). After graduating
from high school, Vance enlisted in the Marine Corps and then attended the Ohio
State University and Yale Law School. He then married and has children. Vance
currently serves as a U.S. Senator (power).
I will conclude this essay with a personal narrative. My
parents divorced when I was a preschooler. Dad had three subsequent wives and
mom had six subsequent husbands. As a result, I moved 18 times before
graduating high school. Often, I found myself the new kid in school. I would
bemoan the fact that my situation was unfair until the age of 16. During the
middle of my junior year in high school I made my final move, to my paternal
grandparents who offered the love and stability I needed. After graduation I
entered college. In the next four plus years I became a Christian, married my
college sweetheart, and received a superb university education.
Although I perceived my life was “more fair” as a result of
the decisions I made from age 16 through 22 to challenge and overcome most of
the limits placed upon me in my childhood, I had difficulty explaining those
limiting events to my wife and children. That is until I found and read J.D.
Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy. Change Vance’s Kentucky and Ohio to my Oklahoma
and California, I found an almost eerie parallel in our life journeys,
especially at the emotional level. I recommended the book to my children and my
son shared with me that he better understood me after reading it.
While I feel that I have indeed overcome the familial limits
of my childhood and youth, I now face face physical challenges in senior
adulthood- a left shoulder and arm that have required three surgeries, a
slipped disc in my lower back, and a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. I am by nature a
stoic but stoicism can carry one so far. I am learning to forgive my body of
perceived weaknesses and turning those weaknesses into strengths by focusing on
continuing to develop my character in light of the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians
5:22-2), for example.
Our limits are indeed a gift from our Creator. Let us rejoice
and be glad in them as well as the One who gifted us. We will begin to know truly
the territory of our limitations by doing so. This is true not only for us
personally but also for our families, organizations, amd nations.
