Oh Say, Can You See...

There are few holidays that truly speak to the soul. Thankfully Independence Day, as it was originally named, or the 4th of July is one of those. It's interesting that in a letter from John Adams to his wife Abigail dated the 3rd of July, 1776 he wrote about the vote by the Second Continental Congress to approve a resolution of independence that had been circulated in June of that year. 

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

He missed it by...two days. The public wished to celebrate on the date on the more widely circulated document the Deceleration of Independence.

Coincidentally, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, becoming the third President in a row who died on the holiday. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only U.S. President to have been born on Independence Day.

Historical as it is the 4th of July is a treasured holiday for friends, family and for remembering the sacrifice of those who died to preserve our freedoms. It does not matter to what political party you belong; the commonality of celebrating the birth of our nation rings true for all.

May you, here in the United States, have a blessed, safe and joyful Independence Day!