CONTEMPLATIONS REGARDING THE 4TH OF JULY

     On July 4^th 1776 we declared our independence and formed a new nation. But amidst all the flag waving and bombs bursting in air, I tend to forget the war had only just begun. It would rage on for many years demanding much sorrow and many lives to secure for me the freedom I enjoy today.

     Beyond the snippets learned along the way in public school, I am guilty of not being well versed in the political atmosphere or military maneuvers that constituted the Revolutionary War. This is something I intend to rectify.  

Loss of life from battle, disease, starvation, and deplorable conditions as prisoners of war is thought to be at least 50,000.

       The war finally ended in 1783 at the Treaty of Paris. The sovereignty of the United States over the territory bounded roughly by what is now Canada to the north, Florida to the south, and the Mississippi River to the west was recognized.

        How far we’ve come, how large we’ve grown. Sadly we are once again at war. War is such a nasty business as it pits man against man. I’m not here to debate the moral legitimacy or necessity of war. Only to give thanks to the soldiers who have stepped up to protect my country and my freedoms and to offer my deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones related to battle.

   Of late, I'm beginning to think

the only thing worth fighting for is Peace……