Happy Treason Day fellow traitors!

Not that you needed me or Bill Pullman to tell you this fact. Most Americans know it’s the Fourth of July because they have an extra long weekend, the smell of BBQs fill the air, the kids are out of school, the sounds of fireworks are making everyone’s doggo go crazy and sending people to the ER in droves. It’s just past the mid-point of summer and one of the best times of the year. Not withstanding the bug bites, the sun burn, the sweltering heat and humidity.

Can’t you just feel the cynicism dripping from that last paragraph? To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of the summer. I’m nursing multiple bug bites on my arms and legs and I’m recovering from a sunburn I got last weekend when I overdid it a bit. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had worse on both accounts, but still, I hate to be hot and itchy, it’s one of the most uncomfortable feelings in the world. I enjoy the cool of spring or the fall. I like the transitionary seasons, winter and summer can take a flying leap as far as I’m concerned.

Even though it’s not my favorite time of year, and it isn’t my favorite holiday, it’s still a special time of year. It’s a time to reflect on what was going on in our country 245 years ago. A group of men sat down and finalized the Declaration of Independence. That was an act of high treason. It wasn’t the end of the war, it was just the start. (Side note: I personally believed for years that this was the end of the war, but it’s not true. I didn’t realize until recently that it was the beginning of the war.) The Revolutionary war wouldn’t end for another seven years. If things had turned out differently, all 56 delegates who had signed it would have been hunted down, captured, tortured, beheaded, drawn and quartered, had their entrails cut out and burned and hanged for their treason against the crown.

This was a huge deal. These men spat in the face of King George III and told him they weren’t going to take his crap any more; they were free. It’s difficult to imagine a group of people in today’s day and age who would do that. Few parts of history come alive for me, but this is one of them and I like to take some time to reflect on it.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, enjoy the day, be safe, and take a few moments to be grateful for your Independence. Your freedom wasn’t free.