A Drive Thru Moment with Words

I was passing through a drive thru window and overheard a conversation amongst the staff inside. They were talking about liberty, what it means and how it is handled in America. Not your typical restaurant conversation, and yet I enjoyed overhearing what the different team members said. As I waited I heard words like freedom, military, control and even misunderstanding. I looked and everyone in the conversation had to be in their late teens early twenties. I smiled to my self and as I was handed my food I made my own contribution to the topic. I said this quote:

Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.

The young man who handed me the bag smiled, asked me to say it again so everyone could hear. They all went, “Hmmm.” I then told them that education is not just a process it is a cure for much of what ails our country, society and the lack of it prevents many from moving forward. Once we are educated no one can ever take that away. The young man smiled even bigger, winked and wished me a good day. While I munched my fries I wondered what their conversation was about now.

I did not have that quote tucked in my pocket, I had just done this piece so it was very top of mind. I love it when a quote I’m using in my art finds a place in real life. When we can harness the power of words we have no idea how it can change someone’s perspective. Making people think, converse, ponder and then land on a thought is an amazing process. It is what helps people become who they are meant to become.

When was the last time you spoke and it made people think…not just to make them argue, but it really made them think about what they truly thought AND how to communicate that? The greatest gift we can give the next generations is the ability to think and make critical decisions in such a manner that they are willing to live with the consequences of their decision. When we fail to teach them how to think, speak and act for themselves we are only releasing wounded birds who will fail to survive in the world they are going to inherit.