Wednesday, July 4

Independence Day Beyond Paradise

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It's Independence Day in America.

On the Fourth of July some of us become patriots. Others of us visit towns like Paradise in Lancaster County's southern end where prosperous farms dapple the rolling hills of the richest non-irrigated soil on earth. Yet on Independence Day memories intrude even upon this tranquility. We're struck with the moment in history where we live, and the rights to this peace we enjoy here just beyond Paradise.

For an instant in the golden twilight... We think of how fragile are those rights we claim: how easily they've cracked in other places and other times. We can almost see horrific glows scratch at the darkening sky of this gentle day. And for the instant... perhaps even the most jaded among us become patriots as well?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't shake the feeling that more and more rights just slowly evaporate, because of old age, because we take them for granted, because of political opportunism, because of neglect. It seems so much easier to defend rights than to care for them. I mean, a short-term burst of activity that we can conveniently call a heroic denfence seems so much easier than long, continous caretaking. And resisting that temptation to sacrifice long-term achievements for short-term (often egocentric) gain.

Sorry, not a very "photographic" comment...

Ted said...

Are we all the proverbial frogs lying atop a slowly superheating pan of water - with not enough warning to jump, until the heat inexorably overwhelms?

Not a very "photographic" response... yet I hope it was the image which teased us to conjecture.

Thanks Thomas...

Debra Trean said...

Your image is peaceful and serene. Your words are always a delight to read. I have a feeling you must be a writer at heart. Our world is a changing....that is for sure.