IIPERSPECTIVEII
// R E K I N D L I N G T H E //
‘Spirit of ‘76’ The summer I turned 5, our nation turned Despite my best efforts, I’ve continued to get 200 years old. I clearly remember that my small older. Like this country, I have continued to grow. town painted all the fire hydrants red, white and I’m not the same person I was five, 10 or 20 years blue and the route of our annual Fourth of July ago. I like to think I’ve matured, and as part of parade was ablaze with flags and bunting. growing older, somehow I’ve become a bit wiser I was too young to know exactly along the way. what a bicentennial was, but I did And though I am by no means know the United States was having a perfect, the seeds I was planted with birthday and we were celebrating it. haven’t changed and these 35 words IT WILL BE I’m pretty sure that summer was the still guide me: Love your family. CELEBRATED year I learned the words to Yankee Work hard. Be a good friend. Keep WITH POMP Doodle Dandy. learning. Treat others well. Respect After the parade there was a those who have gone before you. AND PARADE, band in the park and then we, like Every action has a consequence. BONFIRES AND most, spent the rest of the day with Practice gratitude. Learn to forgive. friends and family. Be kind. Laugh often. ILLUMINATIONS We took turns running through As a country we are not perfect; FROM ONE END our sprinkler. I had training wheels we are still growing and learning, OF THIS CONTINENT and there are still changes to be on my bike, and my sister and brother weaved streamers in the made. But we are not the country we TO THE OTHER. spokes and we rode our decorated were 50, 100 or 200 years ago. I like JOHN ADAMS bikes up and down the street. to think we’ve become older, wiser We ate hot dogs and hamburgers. and that we will continue to grow Dessert was slices of cake decorated and fix the things that need fixing. with strawberries and blueberries to The seeds of our democracy resemble the stars and stripes of the flag. We haven’t changed, and I hope these 35 words ended the night one town over watching the continue to guide us. fireworks or, in the case of my grandmother, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all home watching the fireworks on the television. men are created equal, that they are endowed by That summer was a big one for me. I their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that was growing older and was going to start among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of kindergarten at the end of it. Our country was Happiness.” growing as well. Everyone sensed it. Have a safe and Happy Fourth.
SASHA SWEENEY Co-publisher sasha@hiltonheadmonthly.com
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