Dearest Abigail,...

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever...

Most, if not all of you are probably familiar with the quote above, and recognize it as an excerpt from a letter written by John Adams to his wife Abigail, after having sat through the reading of the Declaration of Independence with his brethren in the Continental Congress. The letter goes on to reflect that while his words might cast an appearance of being overly exuberant on the memorable occasion, that indeed he was well aware of the sacrifices that must follow in support of the Declaration.

In the many years since I first learned of the significance of the second day of July to this nation's founding, it has been my tradition on that day to reflect upon the prophetic words of John Adams. I like to take myself back to that day and imagine that I'm seated in Independence Hall listening intently as the Declaration of Independence is read to the members of Congress. As I look around the room observing the solemnity of the occasion evident on the somber yet determined faces of the body history establishes in such a favorable light, I myself am moved with a range of emotions perhaps not too remotely different than those which must have enveloped John Adams as he expressed them in his letter to Abigail.

Of course, our time-honored tradition as a nation is indeed to celebrate the nation's birthday in ways very close to those which Mr. Adams expressed to Abigail as he envisioned them. And though there are many who dishonor the occasion with drunkenness, irreverance, and through general displays of lasciviousness, there are yet a great many of us, I must believe, who take care on the occasion to honor the memory, the work, and the great sacrifice of our glorious forefathers. And I should hope that each of us may count ourselves among the latter group, non-participants by choice in irreverant displays of a feigned patriotism, for some more properly denominated as just another day to engage in personal activities more properly associated with the idea of license, than of liberty.

On this memorable day, July 2nd, 2007, I am thankful that Adam's letter to Abigail was preserved for my own discovery some years later. For since that day of discovery, it has served as a reminder to bridle my activities in the coming days in such a way that cannot be construed, particularly for my children, to dishonor the memories and the sacrifices of our founding generation.

-DW