7.3.14 - On Thoughts of Independence
/Philadelphia, July 3, 1776: “Yesterday the Continental Congress declared the United Colonies free and independent states.”
What an amazing statement, from Benjamin Franklin in the Philadelphia Gazette these 238 years ago. It's made all the better for me because I'm reading (for the third time, I think) Diana Gabaldon's AN ECHO IN THE BONE, the 7th Outlander book, in which all of this has just happened, and the fight for our freedom is underway.
One of the lovely thing about these books is the humanization of the historical process. Not only do we get to see the America Revolution unfold before us, we get it from both sides, both the British and the Americans. And see why the fight matters, and why we should care.
I worry sometimes that in the excitement of holidays, especially summer holidays, which are mainly marked with parties and fireworks and parades and fun, we forget exactly what we're celebrating, and why.
The world is a dangerous place once again. This weekend, I hope we can all come together and recognize what it is we're fighting for, and what's worth fighting against.
WHAT LIES BEHIND update: Sent the first 24.5 chapters to my editor this afternoon. It's looking like this book might actually have a story to it at last. About to cross the halfway mark on the word count, which means things should start picking up. If course, I have my own celebrations to attend this weekend, so I'll be snatching time again until Monday, when I become a hermit turtle and climb back into my hole.
