A thank you note

To: President Hancock, Mr. Adams, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Franklin, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Livingston, and the Congress Assembled

Dear Sirs:

I have been taught that for every gift a note of thanks is in order. On this anniversary of your most precious gift to me and my family, I write you this note of appreciation for the gift given all those years ago.

It is hard to summarize the wonder and beauty of the gift you have granted me. Though I am sure you were aware of its majesty when given, I don't think you quite realized how truly awesome such a gift would be. Adding to the myriad charms of your gift was the wrapping in which it came. The document which enveloped the gift was a work of art whose words still echo with clarity, purpose, and power. Each time I read that document, I am amazed by how it moves me and how it summarizes for me what it means to be an American. It not only presents a claim, but also an ideology, the American ideal.

When you gave this gift, it was clear that it required a great deal of you all. It was not a simple offering, made with hardly a thought. It was a gift forged in a time of uncertainty, a time of war, and time where by simply offering the same placed much in jeopardy. The gift was not easy, a great labor of time, energy, and faith. Yet, I know that it was a labor of love. Love not only for yourselves and your families, but for all who were to come, including me and mine.

I doubt at the time of giving that you had any idea what it would mean for future generations. I do know that it was a gift filled with potential and promise. It was an opportunity filled with chances and failures, but one that allows us all to hope and dream of our own futures.

Yes, your gift gave me liberty and freedom, but I recognize that it also placed great responsibility on my shoulders. Sometimes those responsibilities can be overwhelming. To be ever vigilent to protect my gift. Requiring me to be active and engaged in the world around me. To demand more of myself so that I can hold my servants to the same standard. None of these things are easy or simple. Yet, I am thankful for them. Perhaps more so than the freedom that necessitates them because they make me a better person.

Unfortunately, in this day in which I live, there are many who have your gift, but do not cherish it. Some grasp tightly the words of freedom and ignore the responsibilities. Some have tucked their gift away, ignoring or unaware of the true meaning contained therein. Still others show off and laud their gift, but do not understand how to use it. Finally, there are those who dismiss your gift, calling it anachronistic and inapplicable to our modern times. I sometimes find myself driven to despair when I see how little value so many place in your gift.

However, I know that you faced the same problem even at the time of giving your gift to this land. You were not perfect. I know that you did not always know whether what you were doing was right or inevitable. Many a misstep made your progress difficult and dangerous. And even as the darkness of ill-fortune plagued you in the midst of revolution, you stood by your ideals and saw them through to the end. You kept great faith in your beliefs even when it seemed that was all you had. It is your example that empowers me to continue and gives great meaning to your gift.

So, as the sun sets on this 234 year anniversary of your great gift, I wanted you to know that its light and energy still lives in this land. The times may grow dark and the wisdom of your age may sometimes be forgotten, but some many of us are thankful for your efforts and seek to sustain your gift for generations to come.

Therefore, I thank you for my liberty, freedom, responsibility, and the ideology that animates all of them. I thank you for your example, your faith, and your sacrifice. I thank you for your good works, ideals, and finely crafted words. Most of all, I thank you for creating a world where I can say, I am an American.

Your grateful son,

Steven J. Howard