I suppose it is a
rather implausible statement for anyone today to say they remember 1776
well. While it is not uncommon for
individuals to reach triple figures when counting the years of their lives and
literal interpreters of the Bible will point to Methuselah who it was claimed
lived to be 969 years old, a life span of 243 years is well beyond the realm of
realistic possibilities.
This is true, but
a matter of two centuries is but a hop, a skip and a jump in time for a student
of history and it is very possible to exist in 1776 or anywhere in the mind.
There have been many occasions, for instance, when I have been somewhere and seen
nothing but clouds the sky and unblemished woodlands or seemingly endless water
around me and thought if I did not know the date and the time, I could be
living in any moment in the past. A dash of
imagination mixed with a measure of knowledge poured into the right conditions
can create a most magical potion.
To cut to the
chase, parades and picnics with potato salad topped off by fireworks are well
and good for the Fourth of July -- Independence Day -- but it would be more than appropriate to pause
for a while today and remember that 1776 was among the most momentous years in
the history of the United States ....
And, to
acknowledge the sacrifices of generations past to create the freedoms which
exist for those alive today ....
And, to pledge
renewed energy and effort to ensure the continued existence of those freedoms
....
8 comments:
Goodmorning Fram
Great post and videos.I always comes in that National mood listening to the first music
Hope you have a nice day over there!
Good morning and good afternoon, Anita ....
It still is morning for me on a quiet, lazy Fourth of July, although I see it is late afternoon for you in Bergen ....
I am glad you liked the post and enjoyed the music. I grew up in a small town where patriotism is valued and always on display, and I try to make note of "special days" in the sense of their meaning.
I do expect to have a nice day and I thank you for the wish. I hope your day has been all you could desire and that your evening will leave you content and happy.
Thank you, Anita, for being here and for being Anita ....
Happy July 4th, Fram!
On this day 1776 the thirteen colonies formed the United State of America. Probably, when United States of America became independent back then, people celebrated this day differently. Today we have nothing more than fun events around.
What I like about this day is the idea of unity. Everybody will gather together in our small city to celebrate this day. No more different opinions, political platforms , we will be just people who are happy to celebrate this great day.
Happy Independence Day!!!
In omnibus requiem quaesivi,et nusquam inveni nisi in angulo cum libro -Thomas Kempis
As I understand it, Kaya, initial celebrations largely took place in the days and weeks after news of the signing of the Declaration of Independence had spread, and the first organized event took place the next year as an impromptu affair. Early celebrations probably were not unlike those of today, with speeches, military events, shooting guns in the air (visualize me), parades and get-togethers with plenty of food and drink.
Yes, unity is a byproduct of Independence Day -- most everywhere except in Washington, D.C., where personal hate and power mongering are the dominant characteristics. Pretty pathetic/abhorrent/ridiculous state of affairs there, but it does make it easier to understand why this country fought a Civil War.
You and I both have a few hours of the Fourth of July left to enjoy and during which to contemplate life and living, Kaya. Fireworks are part of festivities in the neighborhood where I live, and I have a sort of elaborate show going on outside my window to watch as the day turns to dusk and then to dark. When people have enough money to buy "big skyrockets," you know the economy is in good shape.
Thank you, Kaya, for coming here today .... take care and stay safe and keep your camera handy ....
Bravo, Anita .... so very true ....
Happy 4th of July! :-)
Greetings from London.
Thank you, CiL, for your greeting.
Every Fourth of July beginning with 1776 is a happy one ....
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