Author: Patrick Rhone

Note to self: Never read or travel with a non-fiction book without a pencil and highlighter close at hand.

(Tempted to drive the ten miles into town to correct this omission)

Raining today. A slow steady soaking rain. A rain so badly needed. Happy to stay inside, leave the canoe on land, and be thankful that the land is getting a much needed drink today.

At 245, America’s Old Enough to Be Honest About Its Founding

None of this means that the U.S. is uniquely dreadful; the foundings of other countries were similarly bloody and hypocritical. But it does mean that when we’re tempted to bloviate about our unique goodness that we should probably cool it.

The dream of the United States of America has never aligned with the reality of the United Sates of America. How we imagine ourselves to be has never been who we actually are. Does this mean we should not keep dreaming and striving for those lofty goals? No. And if we were ever to achieve them, we should engage new, more lofty, ones. But, to deny the recognition of these self-evident truths actually undermines our intentions to realize the undiscovered country of our declarations.

For if we declare the job “done”; If we have reached that mountaintop; if freedom for all was truly achieved with the declaration of our intentions and the subsequent amendments to our constitution, then what now should we strive for?

The answer is this: the work towards freedom, justice, and equal rights shall never be done. Even if achieved it requires constant vigilance to maintain. So, as we celebrate what we have, knowing there are those with less, we must re-commit to those values and push further.

There are few things sadder to me than seeing someone’s big caring heart get crushed by a cruel uncaring world.

(In this case, the heart was my daughter’s so I’m crushed too)