"Anything to declare...?"

"Well, do YOU?!" While we had heard and studied the historical context of the "Declaration of Independence" as the first time in Our (forefathers, mothers...) collective history, while We were just a bunch of colonies...busy colonizing, all of a sudden came a defining moment when, after lots of accumulated experience, and much deliberation (one colony actually abstained -- namely New York, not having received their formal instructions from Albany...eventually got on board, joined their come-Patriots). But when it really hit home, so to speak, was when, after my elders had already cautioned me to not try to be my usual smart --- selfie..."This is no joking matter..." As I found out, after lots of lecturing, warnings, of what would happen, after many years of be-moaning the many years leading up to this...having my rights suppressed, being in the so-called not-so-silent minority...given all the protests of the daze leading up this...

Defining moment(s): The ones that finally come, otherwise occur to all of us, at "one time or another..." It can happen after lots of planning (rehearsal done discretely with my few friends) or just all of a sudden an opportunity is so-called "heaped upon you..." Both of which were present on that "long awaited day..."

"Our place in history" What our parents shared with us, our History teachers formally taught us, especially given how close we were situated, to a foreign country ("eh?"), and proximity to ("Vietnam War") times...when protests were ramping up, as well as the so-called war on illegal drugs here, given the rise in popularity of various so-called "street drugs"...ones we might be tempted to not only sample but take with us... 

"Just Visiting" Was my planned Smart --- reply that I had prepared, in response to "I triple dog dare ya..." Issued from my buddy in the safety of his basement, in our own version of the "Second Continental..." where our individual and collective complaints were well heard, well ahead of when we would finally, as our folks fore-warned us..."Be careful what you wish for complain about...you'll be there sooner than you think..." The age of majority is what we're talking about, no longer a secret...

"Holding back...?" As in "now that we're finally here, what are we waiting for, what's holding U.S. back now...not our parents (now I wish they were here...) and certainly not our teachers, who we left behind...when we left...we're truly on our own now..." To what our parents and their parents and...said were "left to our own devices..." Other-wise unsupervised...uncontrolled by a superior force...

Bucking a Trend: Now and then or, putting it more timely, then and now, as WE are almost there...as in 250 years on...a historic moment awaits...represented in part by "America 250" which is now made up of the "Semiquincentennial Commision combined with the Daughters of the American Revolution...two years ahead of a date that will yet again mark the many defining moments...an attempt to engage youth (who haven't yet come of age) and support efforts to better tell the story of underrepresented and diverse patriots who fought to keep U.S. free...those who fought and brought home the victory...

The American War of Independence: So the story goes, and continues. By the way, did you know that the DAR itself is a growing organization, where individual (women) are stepping up to be counted (on), at a time when other service.orgs find themselves declining in membership..."the growing numbers of members and chapters who are actively engaging their local communities in honoring men and women who achieved American Independence and inspire the American spirit through service..." 

"I've got nothing" Was all I could muster up, when the border patrol agent queried me...especially the one that I had to convince in order to earn my way back in, to my "beloved country..."

"May the Fourth..." Other-wise the "Spirit of '76" move YOU to act on someone else's behalf...those present and yet to come here.