The Curious Pilgrim

We Stand on the Shoulders of Someone Who Believed in Us

“We stand on the shoulders of someone who believed in us.”

That saying is usually applied to parents, teachers, mentors, and friends. But sometimes we also stand on the shoulders of leaders who were willing to make difficult decisions that changed the direction of a nation.

The office of President of the United States is one of tremendous responsibility. Every president has been an imperfect human being with strengths and weaknesses. History remembers both their accomplishments and their failures. Yet, throughout our nation’s history, some presidents have chosen to lead in ways that expanded freedom, protected the vulnerable, or preserved the common good, often at great political cost.

The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 became one of the catalysts for the secession of the Southern states and the beginning of the Civil War. Slavery was among the central issues dividing the nation. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that enslaved people in the rebellious Confederate states were free. It was both a moral statement and a military strategy, encouraging enslaved people to seek freedom and allowing Black men to serve in the Union Army. Whatever his mixture of motives, Lincoln helped change the course of American history by opening the door to a new understanding of freedom.

More than a century later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law on August 6, 1965. The law sought to end racial discrimination in voting and protect one of the most fundamental rights in a democracy—the right of every citizen to cast a ballot.

Richard Nixon’s presidency ended in disgrace because of Watergate, yet history also records another part of his legacy. His administration rejected the federal policy of terminating tribal governments and instead embraced a policy of Native American self-determination, giving tribal nations greater authority over their own affairs.

Theodore Roosevelt understood that future generations deserved to inherit the beauty of God’s creation. He became one of America’s greatest conservationists, protecting millions of acres of forests, parks, and wildlife lands. His commitment reminds us that caring for creation is one way we care for our neighbors yet to be born.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter offered another kind of leadership. Their service did not end when they left the White House. Through their humanitarian work, including building homes with Habitat for Humanity, promoting peace, monitoring elections, and defending human rights around the world, they demonstrated that public service is a lifelong calling. Their simple lifestyle and deep faith inspired many people.

Barack and Michelle Obama inspired many Americans through their commitment to family, education, and public service. Their partnership reflected mutual respect and a belief that hope, perseverance, and civic engagement can help shape a better future.

As I reflect on these leaders, I am reminded that progress is rarely the work of perfect people. It is often accomplished by imperfect men and women who are willing to take difficult stands for what they believe will move society toward greater justice, freedom, and human dignity.

Today, I salute those leaders who helped bend our nation a little closer to its highest ideals—that America might become more fully a land where liberty, justice, and opportunity belong to everyone.

Perhaps that is true for all of us. We stand on the shoulders of those who believed in a better future. May we live in such a way that future generations will be able to stand on ours.