1776

 Revolution!

1776 the time was ripe for Revolution.  A good revolution is needed every now and then to clean out the old and start anew again.  Such was the time in historical Philadelphia when the patriots that inhabited the city where discussing and debating a new form of government.  One for the people, by the people, and of the people. Like every person we want to be the masters of our own fate, to captain our own ship. 

And so it was in the mid 1700's where England was becoming too oppressive with it's fledgling colony and the people stood up and demanded Freedom, Liberty, and Justice for all!

We need to stop, think, and reflect on the sacrifices that were made.  Valley Forge is a stone's throw away.  Farmers, tradesman, artisans, bookkeepers, shop owners gave up their very lives and died in the frozen mud of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania so we can sit here today and criticize, and debate the ideal of America.  The great George Washington and his men left hearth and home to shiver, freeze, and die in the harsh Pennsylvania winter to fight for our freedoms and our way of life!

That very notion is awe inspiring. We owe these heroes, these saints, a debt of gratitude, of honor. Would our self absorbed, selfish selves make such a sacrifice today? Thank goodness

The answer is still a resounding YES!

 Independence Hall, Ben Franklin, Benjamin Rush, John Adams, and Samuel Adams all walked these very same streets, From are home base we are 10 miles from Valley Forge

Fine ideals. But putting them into practice, making them a reality, well that's when the real work starts. 

But you need a beginning and the start is always with a thought, an idea, a Word. 

And the Word or Words did spring forth from one Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence right here where we sit 20 miles away on hallowed ground in Philadelphia. 

That document and many others help launch a nation that would go on to produce wondrous benefits to society, civilization, and mankind.

Were they flawed men, flawed people.  Of course, aren't we all?  Let those without sin, cast the first stone! Forgive, forgive, forgive. To err or sin is human, to forgive Divine from the lovely Bard of Avon William Shakespeare. 

Does the good of creating the United State of America outweigh its flaws and weaknesses.  

The answer is a resounding YES!

We have the freedom to do what we want, live how we want, worship how we want, BE who we want. We are that shining city on a hill.  A beacon of light for other people, other nations to emulate.  

Do we have equality?  An excellent question. And the answer again is a resounding YES!

We are after a nation of immigrants from our forefathers that came from England to escape persecution. Immigration the very lifeblood of a nation.  Japan has little immigration and is innovative but stifled. 

Equality to opportunity.  All of us despite our circumstances, our beginnings, our family history, our shortcomings, our failures, our skin colors, our languages, our religions, our beliefs have the same tremendous opportunity to excel, thrive, and achieve. 

But more importantly to love, to pray, to worship, to care, to think, to help, to serve, to be, to exist in this wonderful experiment called life, called America. 

And lest we forget, We are not better than anyone, we just aspire to be better than we used to be. To make the world better! What does America stand for?  What is our way of Life?  To serve, to improve, and to help mankind.  Our economic system has brought more inventions and improvements to benefit the world's standard of living that it's actually miraculous. 

50 years ago in the 1970's there was no cable tv, no internet, no cell phones, no electric cars, no Apple, no Google, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Tesla.  We have more computing power in our hands with our phones than the largest supercomputers from the 70s. Incredible. 

Each era and time period has its challenges. That's called Life.  But we all have that word again what is it ah yes CHOICE. We must be the happy warriors going forth with an attitude of gratitude, of service, of hope, of goodness. 

 America stands for Continuous improvement. We strive to get better everyday.  America is an evolving, living, breathing ideal where we all must take part and share in it's creation.  For we are recreating ourselves every day.  Every day is burgeoning and bursting with new opportunities to serve, help, and create something better for our fellow man. 

And as our fellow Patriots have echoed throughout the generations. 

Come together right now over Me!

Give me Liberty!

All for One and One for All!

And Let Freedom Ring!

With Love,

Patriot K