Day 185: Happy Independence Day! And Happy Halfway through Halfway Week!
Today I am reminded of my mother’s many stories of our ancestors who crossed the Atlantic in search of freedom. Some of them were passengers on the Mayflower. Some boarded other vessels to make the voyage. She told us stories of seasickness and homesickness and raging seas. After all, aren’t we all immigrants, searching for a new world?
The Mayflower set sail in July of 1620, but they had to turn back twice because the other ship they were sailing with was leaky. The third time, they left port on September 6 and arrived in Cape Cod on November 9th, a 66-day journey.
Did the pilgrims get a “Hang in there, we’re halfway!” notice from the ship’s captain? If they did, I’m sure they weren’t surprised to see that when they reached shore, it was STILL only the very beginning of their journey. Of the 130 passengers, it is estimated that 35 million of their descendants are living today. Would they look at the state of America and think we had finished what they started? Or are we still only HALF WAY? The freedoms we now regard as self-evident and inalienable weren’t so easily forged on our behalf.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said “In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”
Amidst the BBQs and fireworks, take a moment today to think of those who came before, and give thanks that they pushed through their “halfway” toward the achievement of freedom.
Almost 400 years later, it is still America’s goal. I can almost here someone on deck asking “Are we there yet?”
P.S. If you’re interested to know if you happen to be one of those 35 million descendants, you can check it out here: http://relativefinder.org
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