Independence Day
I listened to the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence on NPR and was once again touched and humbled by the thoughtful and precise wording, the straightforward logic and the outright power of the document. I wonder how long it took Thomas Jefferson to write this piece of excellence. I wonder if after the colonial equivalent of hitting the ‘send’ button, he slapped his forehead and thought of one more edit, one phrase he wished he had crafted differently, one thing he thought he should have omitted or might have added. Did he question whether or not he had chosen the best words possible? Did he have sleepless nights, imagining the lives that would be lost for the cause and the hardships this new country would endure on its way to stability? What an important and amazing thing, what a responsibility and what an honor to have been assigned the composition of such a document.
http://www.npr.org/2015/07/03/419692406/the-annual-reading-of-the-declaration-of-independence
I too have been fascinated by the Declaration of Independence, and the story behind its “birth”. The men assigned to come up with this document, and Jefferson who was assigned to write it, were more dedicated and passionate than I have ever met. To give up everything and risk death is unimaginable in my cushy, sequestered life. I would have been in awe to meet them. I read that it took Jefferson just 17 days to write the draft and another 3 days to fine-tune after it was presented to congress. It would have taken me MUCH longer, I’m sure!
History is not my thing, in fact I hate history. But after seeing the Broadway play 1776 way back when, I have been in awe of these men, for our country! It’s very inspiring!