1783, and the Heart and Soul of the United States

My thoughts drift to the United States of American in a special way today, as it marks the signing of the Treaty of Paris 1783, on September 3 of that year, ending the American Revolution and officially granting independence to the United States.  This occasion recalls to my mind an event at the heart of this country's formation, putting me in tune with the soul and pulse of this nation.

I've had a number of experiences in the past few months that have connected me with the essence of the United States, even as I've sensed it in the common activities of my life here in my hometown.

I went to Philadelphia, and stood in buildings like Independence Hall, halls where the United States was forged back in momentous days in 1776 when the Continental Congress declared independence, and then where the Constitutions government was shaped and got its bearings in the early years of the Republic.

I went to the National Archives to view the foundational documents of the United States, and then viewed the majestic structures of government and those honoring significant people and events in US history in Washington, D.C.

I experienced great scenic wonders when traveling in the mountains of Colorado, and taking in an especially beautiful scene at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.

I celebrated the Centennial of the National Park Service, which has an important stewardship role in maintaining places of historic, cultural, and natural significance.

And while traveling outside of Chicagoland this summer, I soaked in the land that is the United States passing by outside my window aboard an Amtrak train.

Today, I took stock of history in my own backyard by attending a historical tour at the Chicago Portage site, to hear again the story of the spot that contributed enormously to making Chicagoland what it is today.  Then I went off to work at the library, a place that is a marketplace of knowledge and ideas.

What a nation this has become that was born of yearnings for liberty and independence, expanding the scope of lofty principles in the years since 1783, a mission that continues with us today.

I get a reinvigorated sense of what it means to be part of the United States when I take time to have such experiences that put me in tune with the beating heart of the USA, that I know what this country is about, so that I may carry forth in the work of making it a great and righteous nation under God, Who has blessed us with the existence of such an incredible country.

I do my part in this work, keeping in mind the words of the American's Creed:

This plaque is at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis, which was the site where George Washington made an important mark in setting the tone for the course this country would take when he resigned his commission as Commander of the Continental Army.  You can click the link above to read the text of the American's Creed.