While packing for the holiday weekend now upon us, my thoughts turned back to a recent family celebration in Washington D.C. I hadn’t visited our nation’s capital in quite some time and was struck by a sense of wonder and excitement akin to a child’s first over night school trip to the home of the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, Congress, The Library of Congress, The Smithsonian Institute…(I think you get the picture).
What I felt was a deep sense of pride and gratitude that I am an American. What I felt was patriotism. The Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4, 1776. The Constitution became the “Law of the Land “ in 1787 (the Revolutionary War ended four years earlier in 1783.) The Preamble begins, “We the people of the United Sates, in order to form a more perfect union…..”
Here we are 226 years later still trying to form a more perfect union – and I think that’s a beautiful thing. And we must keep trying.
Happy Independence Day!
– Michael
Carmen says
I felt the same pride and honor when me and my family visited Washington for the first time this year. Of course we had a solid reason We became US citizens and we wanted to celebrate in a special way and definitely we took the best decision by going to the most historical city. I am proud to be an American and I wish everyone Happy Independence Day!