Grit, Grace, and the 250th

In the weeks leading up to America’s 250th Anniversary, politicians on the right and left, glory hounds, and attention seekers have all had their say. They’ve bathed themselves in the U.S. flag. Heck, the big apparel companies have gotten into the game too. They’ve plastered the stars and stripes on everything imaginable — shirts with U.S.-this and U.S.-that — and chuckled all the way to the bank, selling cheap patriotism at a premium.

As we come up on July 4, the temperatures here in Southeastern Pennsylvania have been spiking of late. We’re sweltering right now. The average temperatures when the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in 1776 were a more relaxing 75° Fahrenheit.

Valley Forge National Historical Park – June 29, 2026

A Drifting Mind

My mind, though clearly on the 250th, has been drifting to a colder, darker place. In fact, I’ve been envisioning a cold nor’easter blowing in, bringing with it crippling snowfall, blizzard conditions, and gale-force winds.

Oh, I think of Thomas Jefferson and the gang signing off on the Declaration of Independence. I think of how their signatures meant they were “marked men” running for their lives. But mainly, I think 16 months and 23 days into the future, shifting my gaze to the Valley Forge encampment.

Yes, I find myself thinking of December 27, 1777. With his men suffering all around him, General George Washington sent a desperate letter to Virginia Governor Patrick Henry, pleading for clothing and supplies for his freezing troops.

Valley Forge Encampment – June 29, 2026

The View From The Right Lane

Stay with me here. Fast forward to current times. For close to 20 years, I regularly flew by the exit to Valley Forge National Historical Park on my way to work. As you approach, off to the left, you see a couple small office buildings, a hotel and casino, and a promotional sign for Top Golf, the driving range and entertainment center. But if you look to the right, trees and rolling hills block your view. On occasion, I would stop on my way home and drive through the 3,500-acre park full of meadows, woodlands, and monuments.

From December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778, over 12,000 soldiers took refuge there, giving them protection from a possible attack by the British in Philadelphia and time to mature and emerge in the spring as a highly disciplined professional fighting force.They built 1,500 log huts, creating what was essentially the fourth-largest city in the colonies at the time. While the natural elements protected them, it was a challenging time and they suffered a horrific existence.

While other Revolutionary War encampments (such as the bitter winter at Morristown, New Jersey) were significantly colder, the suffering at Valley Forge was heavily exacerbated by severe shortages of food, blankets, and footwear. The soldiers had to truly believe in what they were fighting for. They had to believe in the declaration.

Valley Forge National Historical Park – June 29, 2026

Highs, Lows, and Everything In Between

When I look back, my mind tracks the long, uneven spine of the American story:

• The Sacrifices of War: I think of the beaches of Normandy, men fighting for every inch of ground. Men dying. Men struggling just to get through the next minute. I think of the horrific, bloody fields of Gettysburg — just two hours west of my daily commute — where brother fought brother to decide if this country would break apart or endure.
• The Long March Toward Justice: I think of slavery finally coming to an end, and then years later in 1960, Ruby Bridges — all of six years old — walking into a white school building full of grace and dignity, becoming the first Black child to integrate a white elementary school in the South. I think of Martin Luther King, John Lewis, and thousands of activists marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma in 1965 to demand federal protection for Black voting rights. I think, too, of the everyday citizens whose names history didn’t catch, who nevertheless stood up, sat in, and spoke out to edge us closer to our founding ideals.
• The Fight for the Ballot: I think of the suffragettes who spent decades getting beaten and jailed just to win the right to vote.
• The Triumphs and Tragedies: I think of putting a man on the moon, a collective roar of achievement beamed into living rooms across the globe. Yet, I also think of the collective heart of the country breaking on a cold January morning in 1986 when the Challenger vanished into smoke, and again when the towers fell on a crisp Tuesday morning in September.
• The Modern Frontier: I think of the launch of the personal computer and the revolution of cellphone communications and app-based computing, reshaping our world and offering us greater freedoms and connectivity.

Valley Forge National Historical Park – June 29, 2026

Living Up To The Declaration

I love that there have been great moments and not-so-great moments in our history. I love that the United States is very much an experiment in the making—a little of this, a little of that. I love that even though we’ve fallen, we keep getting back up on the bike and trying to do better.

So yes, I’ll be putting out my flag this weekend. I’ll be celebrating the 250th and marveling at how easy it is to buy a cheap t-shirt, and how incredibly hard it is to actually live up to the document those shirts celebrate. This weekend isn’t about the flags plastered on grocery store displays; it’s about remembering the sheer, stubborn endurance required to keep a fragile idea alive.

How are you marking the 250th this year? If you live outside the U.S., what does independence mean to you?

The Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia

• National Archives Declaration of Independence Transcription
• The Annotated Declaration of Independence – The National Constitution Center
• The Full Text of the U.S. Constitution – The National Constitution Center