PATRIOT
Wild Word Friday!
When I was 4 1/2 years old, my family moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. That was way back in the 1950s, and we brought something very unusual with us. A television set. Prior to life in the U.P., we had lived in the Boston area of Massachusetts and in Michigan near Traverse City. In both places we actually received television transmissions almost continually and from more than one channel. When we made our home in Pickford, all that changed. We received only one channel, which was from a Canadian network, and that channel didn’t run anything except a test pattern until noon. Each day, before the programming began, our channel started the broadcast day by playing the Canadian National Anthem.
When I was five I proudly told my mother that I knew our national anthem. She was so delighted that I immediately burst into song, (Yep, you guessed it.) “O Canada,” which by the way I still believe is an incredibly beautiful national anthem. And yes, I do know all the words. Even at that young misinformed age, I did understand what it was to be a PATRIOT, what it felt like to love a country and to be proud of the country I loved, even if my “country” was a combination of two great nations.
This week, in the United States, we have celebrated the anniversary of our Independence Day. How fortunate we are to have the freedom to act as PATRIOTs, to express our opinions about our government, about our country, and our faith, and also to have the rare privilege of living our lives in “the pursuit of happiness.” Amazing. We are so blessed.
Almost as a footnote, I will tell you that our word PATRIOT comes to us from the Latin word patriota, which means fellow countryman and the Greek patris – fatherland. I pray that no matter where you live on this planet that you live in a country you love, and that you have the great privilege of those freedoms which allow you to choose your faith, your occupation, and to develop your God-given talents in such a way that they bring happiness to you and to others!
Do you commemorate an “Independence Day?” If so, tell us what you and your family do to celebrate.
God bless you!
Sue
(Photographs from Wikipedia.)
My reply comments are LATE – I’ve been off line for 3 days due to computer malfunction and still have no email. At least I can get on the internet. I didn’t realize how addicted I was!
Arlene, like you, I love to watch the pride in people’s faces when they salute their country at the Olympics! And there are many beautiful national anthems.
Sharon, thank you. I didn’t know that Wayne and Dorie were the ones with the first TV. Can you imagine children nowadays sitting and WATCHING a test pattern! We did the same thing as you.
Jackie, we do have so many Irish people in this country. Both my family and my husband’s family boast of Irish roots. His great grandmother was an O’Neill. My family also claims heritage from Holland, and here in the US we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Vigour as you know! Here in my state of Michigan we have a town named Holland and have a tulip festival there every year. My Daughter in law’s family is from Holland and they have visited Holland (in Europe) to celebrate that connection. Most of us Americans are “mutts” with many different nationalities mixed in.
so funny to read that Sue, children nowadays have television at all times, as a parent it’s hard to manage the time spend on watching tv, playing on the pc or nintendo’s for your children, it just does not feel right to have them sit there as zombie’s.
There are a good few 4th of July celebrations going on here in Ireland. In this country Americans are loved and welcomed, much more then in Holland. I think America and Ireland share a lot of history together.
Very nice comments Sue. Brings back a lot of memories. Wayne & Dorrie had the first TV in our family. When we FINALLY got one I remember just waiting for the test pattern to go off.
Nice thoughts, Sue.
We whisper when we say it, but we’re fans of several countries’ beautiful national anthems! The awards ceremonies are our favorite part of the Olympics, when we have the privilege of observing, close-up, the pride in each person’s fatherland. What a special treat!