Let Freedom Persist
Let Liberty Prevail
Our national symbol of liberty is appropriate. It is cracked in fact from historical use. It is venerated in intent and message— “Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout the Land unto all the inhabitants Thereof.” It has been appropriated repeatedly as representative of the righteous values and goals of wildly divergent political opinions and movements.
Stop Drilling. In 1752, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly commissioned the London firm of Lester and Pack to cast a very large metal bell. It weighs 2080 pounds. It is three fee tall and has a circumference of 12 feet at its base. Its high copper content gives it a distinctive gold sheen.
It first cracked when rung after its arrival in Philadelphia. It was twice recast by local workmen John Pass and John Stow. It is believed to have been one of several bells rung on 08 July 76 to celebrate the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. The National Park Service estimates the bell acquired its large crack after almost a century of heavy use. When Philadelphia decided to repair the bell in 1846, metal workers widened the thin crack to prevent its further spread. The workers restored the tone of the bell using a technique called “stop drilling.” Many environmentalists would approve that sentiment and strategy for damage containment today.
Weathering the Storm of Global Unrest.
Every moment of consciousness is precious. And so very magical. Memory is elective and selective. We build a myth of ourselves--our times, our place, our space.
We sort through moments of terrible physical pain for lessons in gratitude for seconds of ecstasy and random thunderbolts of insight and understanding. Empathy is optional. But highly recommended.
The simple wonder of watching clouds make patterns in a vast and clear blue Texas sky in early summer. The sun rising sweetly and falling in flaming glory within that same vast canopy. A blood-red harvest moon rising fat and bold to challenge a field of timid stars too numerous to count. While fireflies with yellow-green fluorescent tails glow on earth and comets with orange-red wakes streak through the heavens. And confederate jasmine competes with gardenia to drug the sense of smell and elevate the feeling of security.
We may wander far and become informed. Yet, our true home is the mansion of the heart’s favorite things.
War and weather events can erase our place. We will return to it. We will recreate it.
We really do not much care about the oil and mineral reserves below our patch of place. Some stranger’s real estate dreams and schemes are outside our circle of interest and consideration as we restore service of our water well, plant a new tree, hang and finish replacement drywall over new wood or metal studs.
And all this current banging about the obvious—the rich grow ever richer, the poor become ever poorer—just leaves us sitting hungry at someone else’s ideological banquet table.
We all are caught in a time of historical importance. A century of cultural angers rises to clash across and around the environmentally abused globe. It is oh so easy to ride one or another swirling current of place and opinion. It is tempting to just go numb and dumb and purposefully blind as the chaos crescendos and cruelty sheds its party mask of righteousness.
As for me. I am lashing my hope for better times and outcomes to the strong main mast of my place in time and space. This is my strategy for riding and weathering the storm. This captain ain’t abandoning her ship of self and the myth of American the Beautiful. I cannot do more. I refuse to do less.
How about you?
Don’t bother to try to justify your choice to aid and abet evil.
Feel free to bring forward a better strategy than The Power of One. Where that indivisible soul uses their person and their purse every day in every legal way to deny, delay, destroy the implementation of Project 2025. Where each act of good trouble rings the clapper on the bell of freedom and liberty.
I say it is the duty of each of We the People to help freedom to persist.
To let life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the rule of law prevail.
So that government of the People, by the People, and for the People shall not perish from the earth.
"We may wander far and become informed. Yet, our true home is the mansion of the heart’s favorite things."
Beautifully said - and so very true. Information has no joy, but the heart's favorites do. Thank you for this peaceful and poignant reminder. I needed the stress-free break.
Your latest post is the best way to start my day. Before looking at the reports and constructive comments from journalists and respected experts in my reading pile, I get grounded with who I am and what I can do today by soaking up your wise words.