One Nation, Many Dreams: A Unique American Recipe

by Sally Jack
Perhaps you have heard an old story told by author Marcia Brown in a book called Stone Soup about three soldiers who were trudging through a strange country on their way home from war. They were tired and hungry. As they neared a village they became hopeful that they could find someone who would give them some food and perhaps a place to sleep for the night. But the villagers saw them coming. They did not want to share their food with the strange, hungry soldiers so they hid all of their food, and when the soldiers asked if they could have a bite to eat, one by one the villagers turned them away. The villagers said they were hungry, too, and had no food to share.
Undaunted, the hungry men said in that case they would make themselves a big pot of stone soup. The peasants were intrigued. How does one go about making soup out of stones? They gathered around the men to see what they would do. When one of the soldiers asked to borrow a big pot to cook it in, a villager ran to fetch one. They all watched as the men filled the pot with water and each man added a stone. As the water began to boil on the fire, the hungry soldiers said it was sure to be a fine soup, but it would be even better if it had a little salt and pepper. Eager to see the stones turn into soup, a villager ran to get some salt and pepper. As the soup continued to cook, the men commented how delicious the soup would be if only they had a few carrots to add. A woman “suddenly” remembered that she might have a few carrots she could spare and ran to fetch them. While the soup cooked, one soldier or another would say that now the soup was almost fit for a king . . . if only they had some potatoes, or a bit of beef, or perhaps a cabbage to add to the pot. One by one the villagers ran to get what they had to share, for surely this was a marvelous soup to behold! Soon the soup was done and the soldiers invited all the villagers in the town to taste the now famous stone soup. Tables and chairs were quickly set in the village square, torches were lighted, and the townspeople ran to get bread and cider and other food to go with the wondrous soup made from nothing but stones; and then with great camaraderie, the villagers and soldiers alike sat down to eat the soup they had all helped to make.
For the men who drafted the Constitution of the United States of America, it was like making their own version of stone soup without having a recipe to follow. The Constitution was a new concept, and choosing all the right ingredients for success was a challenge. These men were from all walks of life and from different backgrounds. They had never created a nation before. They had ideas about what our government should look like, but they didn’t always agree. In fact, there were many conflicts and heated debates over important issues. There were times when it looked like they would never come to an agreement about anything. George Washington said, “I almost despair of seeing a favorable issue to the proceedings of the convention, and do therefore repent having any agency in the business.” Nevertheless, they all had a dream of what America could become, if only they added this or changed that. It took months to settle their differences, but they did not give up. Eventually they created the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Bill of Rights to make it even better.
So what were the stones they put into the pot? What was the secret ingredient they passed on to their posterity? It is known as the Spirit of Compromise, when what’s best for our nation takes priority, when the good of our nation comes first.
Recently I was supervising a group of First Graders as they looked at books in a variety of genres to see if they could find a new book they would like to read. Although there were many books to choose from, I noticed two little boys who were having a serious tug of war over a book they both wanted to look at. I quickly stepped over to intervene before the book in question was ripped in two in the tussle. Before I could say or do anything, an amazing thing happened. One boy signaled to the other boy that they should play paper, rock, scissors. Without a word his classmate accepted the challenge and the silent battle began. After two rounds the victor took the book while the other boy sat down empty-handed. It is true that he was pouting a little about the outcome, but he knew the rules; he had lost, and he complied with the results. Because the boys knew how to settle their differences fairly, the book was spared; thanks to the same spirit of compromise among the 55 delegates at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, our country came through its battles for freedom with a sound government as well.
Catherine Drinker Bowen, author of Miracle at Philadelphia (1966) wrote about this challenge: “Men rise to speak and one sees them struggle with the bias of birthright, locality, Statehood—South against North, East against West, merchant against planter. One sees them change their minds, fight against pride, and when the moment comes, admit their error.
“During the course of the Convention every delegate had to give up on some cherished principle. For some, it was a bitter pill to swallow, but they swallowed it.
“But just as importantly thereafter,” she continues, “These men of social stature, political and business success . . . all swallowed their pride, accepted defeat of personal agendas, and went forth and convinced a nation to accept the product of the Convention—the Constitution of the United States of America.”
We all want what’s best for our nation, and we all have our dreams. But sometimes we act like the villagers, and we are reluctant to open our hearts to those who have dreams that are different from ours. Sometimes we need to let go and listen to the ideas of others for a change. And sometimes we just need to fill the pot with water and have faith in the people around us.
In the movie Anne of Green Gables, starring Megan Follows, when Anne comes home to her beloved Avonlea after teaching at Kingsport Ladies College, she tells her friend Gilbert, “I went searching for my ideals outside of myself, and discovered that it’s not what the world holds, but what you bring to it. The dreams dearest to my heart are right here.”
And indeed, it’s what Americans, each and every one of us, bring to the table that counts. We must all bring forth our best and continue to contribute our share to make America, the land of liberty, the home of our dreams.
(Editor’s note: Sally’s essay was the winner of the adult division of the Kigalia Fine Arts essay contest. with support from the Utah Division of Arts and Museum, plus the National Endowment for the Arts.)