Dear Reader:

My garden wants to wish you a special Fourth of July Independence Day with red, white, and blue symbolic flowers of “ripples of hope.”

But before we talk about “ripples of hope” on a very special Happy Birthday to our Country/ day….let’s talk a second about inner strength. Don’t we all, at some point, envy other people who seem so much more capable than us at contributing back to their country, state, town, neighborhood and/or community with so many (seemingly) strengths in their tool box?

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within” – Maya Angelou

All of us have been born with just the right amount of strengths to make a difference to others in our lifetime…..examples of some of these skills might include strengths like articulation, writing, a non-judgmental personality, sense of fair play, calmness/steadiness, humor, curiosity and so many more than I can’t possibly list here. None of us have been left out or short-changed in the strengths area.

The most important thing each individual, granted life on this great planet, must do for him or herself is discover his/her own personal strengths and then use them for others.

Kate W. Jenson, popular blogger/author, describes this scenario.

“We are easily confused, we humans. We compare ourselves with others and judge ourselves lacking.Suppose, instead, we approach our lives with gentle curiosity, like an explorer coming upon a new, shy species of bird. Notice its markings…Watch how it moves…What startles it? What makes it stronger? When does it sparkle?
Such observations will tell you what you have to offer.“

A well-lived life moves inward, to gather resources, connect with the sacred, be inspired, and then radiate outward, to share experiences and serve others.

This is a lesson I have learned from my commitment to help Anne distribute cookies and ice cold bottles of water ( “Water on Wednesdays”) to those  in need who are down and out…. suddenly someone is tapping on your window with water and cookies to let you know that we are all members of the human race and as such capable of showing compassion to our fellow man.

We are just sending out small ripples of hope but that’s how change occurs….with that first ripple. A affirmation that things will get better because people care enough to help solve a problem.

“Call for Change”

 June 6 was the 60^th anniversary of Bobby Kennedy’s “Ripples of Hope” speech, given at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In the U.S. in 1966, the civil rights movement was in full flow. In South Africa, apartheid had been law for 18 years and Nelson Mandela was in prison.

*Updated with more inclusive language, Kennedy said:

“Each time you stand up for an ideal or act to improve the lot of others, or strike out against injustice, you send forth a tiny ripple of hope and, crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

It is up to us to discover what nourishes us and be who we were created to be. Bring what strengthens us to the world.

……………………………………..

Having read, now, though three quarters of Hamilton… one conviction I hold  true is that there is no doubt in my mind  it was only through God’s Presence that our country came into creation… against all odds.

I don’t think I fully understood how difficult building a government, based on democracy (a foreign concept for most people in the 17oo’s) was….the American Revolution paled in comparison to the warfare of writing a Constitution and implementing our first example of democracy to the world.

The Founding Fathers differed in age, personality, experience, and philosophy but somehow the Creator of the Declaration of Independence (Jefferson), the Father of the Constitution (Madison) the Father of our Country (Washington) and the Father of our American Government (Hamilton) miraculously  created the framework of our country that still exists today.

Each personality had his strengths and weaknesses ( ego’s, tempers, vanities, etc.) but in spite of the in-house bickering, there came some compromising that produced our American government today….the ripples from these amazing Founding Fathers have indeed built “a current that continues to sweep down the walls of  oppression and resistance.”

So until tomorrow….Let us pause to remember the sacrifices of so many who gave so much by giving us the greatest gift on this earth- freedom.

“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” Winston Churchill

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*We have talked several times (in past blogs) about John Adams and Thomas Jefferson dying on the same day, July 4 of 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Quite a strange coincidence.

But here is another little history trivia/ tidbit… we did have one future President  born on July 4th. It was Calvin Coolidge. When he was a little boy he thought the big parade and fireworks celebrations, in his hometown in Vermont, every year on his birthday,  were just for him. Happy Birthday Calvin!