233 years ago today

This nation declared its independence.

It seems silly to say "this nation," when you consider how different it is now from that fledgling creature that barely took off, and somehow flew. But, just as a newborn eaglet fresh from its egg bears little resemblance to the adult eagle that it will become, that little nation grew. It retained its name. It retained its origins. It retained its founders as its founders. Whether officially or not, it retained its language, more or less.

Ideals have changed. Goals have changed. But we are still a nation of states [little S] united, on the continent of North America.

Am I proud of this nation? Certainly. Am I blind to its flaws? No, not at all. But while I may not like the precise heading on the course that we seem to have plotted by popular vote (a hell of a way to run a bridge, I'll tell you), I don't think that we're headed into shoal water just yet. (What is it about this national talk that makes me want to wax metaphoric? Which is it? An eagle? Or a ship?)

Today, the Natl. Park Service re-opened the crown of Lady Liberty to visits by visitors. You have to buy a ticket to go up, so plan ahead. If I ever find myself in the vicinity of New York, I suppose that I will be unable to resist going up.

Because I work this evening, I suppose that my Independence Day festivities occurred last night. We had friends over, and consumed enormous steaks, a surprisingly good green salad, and perfect baked potatoes. None of us had room for desert. For breakfast today, I got to eat steak. Tell me THAT's not a holiday.