Local Author Explores Essence Of American Dream

By ERIKA ANDERSON, Staff Writer

Published: October 23, 2003

ATLANTA—Author Charlie Douglas says that his new book can be summed up in a quote from Pope John Paul II. “It is not wrong to want to live better; what is wrong is a style of life presumed to be better when our actions are directed towards ‘having’ rather than ‘being,’ and which wants to have more, not in order to be more but in order to spend life in enjoyment as an end in itself,” the pope wrote in his encyclical letter, “Centesimus Annus.”

That quote serves as an introduction to the second chapter of Douglas’ book, “Awaken the American Dream.”

Published by Possibility Press and released Sept. 2, the book explores the historical, philosophical and spiritual history of getting ahead in America and provides a vision for readers to embrace “values that lead to lasting wealth.”

Douglas, a parishioner of the Cathedral of Christ the King, is an attorney, financial advisor and lecturer. For almost 20 years, Douglas has been counseling high net-worth individuals, but a few years ago he found that something was missing.

His clients were pursuing the American dream the way that society had come to interpret it, but Douglas was convinced that the dream involved more than just material wealth.

He began writing “Awaken” in 1998.

“Material wealth is the hallmark of capitalism, and it has become the primary focus of the American Dream,” Douglas writes. “But America began as a country that offered the promise of both religious freedom and economic opportunity. When our country was founded, the pursuit of both spiritual and financial capital largely represented the essence of the American Dream.”

In an interview, Douglas explained further.

“As we have dramatically increased our standard of living, the American dream has become much more narrow and connected to wealth,” he said.

Douglas, however, believes that the dream is not dead but simply “slumbering.”

“The underpinnings of the American dream are found in values and virtues, in staying close to the Creator and being rich where it counts. That is what we need to pass on to future generations.”

Much of America agrees with Douglas.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 77 percent of Americans believe that the overall health of the nation depends a great deal on the spiritual health of the nation.

As a financial advisor, Douglas said that stocks, bonds and mutual funds have their place.

“I’m not saying that material wealth is bad,” he said. “The danger lies in the attachment to that wealth.”

Douglas works for Strategic Stewardship, a company that provides value-based planning for affluent families. Writing “Awaken the American Dream,” Douglas said, had him shift his own approach to his job.

“I thought I had been offering comprehensive planning because I could offer financial and legal strategies. I thought that was comprehensive. But I realized that I had ignored people’s core values,” he said. “Now it is about a mission statement and core values, adding value through values.”

Douglas serves as a lector at Christ the King and is a devoted supporter of Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity.

“In some ways, we have the material world and the spiritual world saying ‘Come, follow me.’ With Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity, there are no politics, no bureaucracy. It’s just hands-on. It gives you a sense of sobriety about what’s important,” he said.

The book, while ecumenical, has a “distinctive Catholic voice,” Douglas said.

Archbishop John F. Donoghue added his own voice to the list of Douglas’ supporters. Douglas asked the archbishop to read the book and to write an endorsement if he felt called.

“I was so grateful that he was able to make the time to do that for me,” Douglas said.

In a quote listed in “Awaken the American Dream,” the archbishop said that Douglas had woven together an entertaining history of the country and its morals and values.

“And most importantly, he shows how belief in God and God’s influence over individuals, when welcomed, can lead us to a future prosperity—not only a prosperity of goods, but a prosperity of spirit,” the archbishop writes. “This book will engage your interest and enlighten you, from beginning to end.”

Douglas said the book has a wide appeal.

“My hope is that a grandparent will read it and then give it to his or her son or daughter, who will give it to his or her son or daughter—the grandchild. I think it’s really intergenerational,” he said. “There is something for the retirees, the Baby Boomers and Generation X.”

“Awaken the American Dream” is available where books are sold, including Catholic bookstores in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. For more information visit Douglas’ Web site at www.awakenthedream.com.