It is wonderful to spend this special holiday with family. This year is extra special, I have my entire family here in DC. I can't believe it, we are all together.
Our son in-law arrived at the end of last week and we have been doing a bit of sight seeing while our daughter is at work. I have learned that he is very patriotic. He loves our country, its history and honors those that had the determination to set aside their personal lives to sacrifice all they had to create a new country and see it succeed.
This got me thinking, what does it mean to be patriotic?
I have considered myself patriotic for years. I wear all my red, white, blue and flag clothing before and after Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Veteran's Day. I fly my flag proudly daily. I love learning about the men and women who helped build our country. Their stories inspire me to want to do more. Visiting their homes, the places they walked, the cities they built and the wars they fought touch my heart deeply.
Living in Washington DC has given me an opportunity to deepen my understanding of our nations history. I'm not rushing through museums, quickly passing by monuments or memorials, instead I have time to notice details I hadn't before.
I love the United States of America.
In September of 1814, Fort McHenry endured 25 hours of bombing from the British. The British were met with American cannon fire. The air filled with smoke. At times it was so thick that the men could not see in front of them.
From the deck of the US Truce Francis Scott Key was looking through a telescope in hopes he could see some evidence that the Fort had survived the bombing. It had. Fort McHenry did not surrender.
It was just after dawn on September 14, 1814, when Key saw the flag flying over the fort. Key described his feelings, "through the clouds of the war the stars of that banner still shone in my view, and I saw the discomfited host of its assailants driven back in ignominy to their ships. Then, in the hour of deliverance, and joyful triumph, my heart spoke; and "Does not such a country and such defenders of their country deserve a song?"
On the 14th, he jotted down some notes and finished the poem a couple of days later in Baltimore. The song's first title was "Defence of Fort McHenry". It is now known today as "The Star Spangled Banner" and became our National Anthem in 1931.
Francis Scott Key was an example of patriotism. He honored our fight for freedom and independence with beautiful words that we get to sing as our Anthem.
Like my son in-law I love our country.
I wish each of you a very Happy and Safe 4th of July.
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