The Best of Times

I love fireworks! (And I love 3 day summer weekends!)

Happy Birthday America

Independence Day is the national day of the United States.

In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States.

Today’s quote:

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” ~ Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

(I have heard tales told where, in the golden olden days, students were required to memorize and recite this Address.. but then, I have heard that they were required to learn Latin too.. Today I hear tales that students cannot even read this Address.. Bah. Just musing out loud.)

We here at T4E Headquarters (me, myself, and I) wish you a joyous and safe holiday.

Bonus 1: The 4th is a great time to get out to one of our National Parks. If you cannot do that, perhaps setting your desktop “wallpaper” to a spectacular image might be a good “second option”. (Some awesome nature photography here.) Public domain Desktop wallpaper from US National Parks

Bonus 2: If you like fireworks too.. 20 Incredible Photographs of Fireworks Reflected in Water

Copyright 2007-2014 © “Tech Paul” (Paul Eckstrom). All Rights Reserved.

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All we really have, in the end, are our stories.
Make yours great ones. Ones to be proud of.
And please, never forget – one person can make a difference.
Find a way to make someone’s day today.
(Best advice I ever heard? Don’t sweat the small stuff.)