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Blog Entry 2 of 3 Elizabeth: Golden Age - Not so golden

In anticipation of the movie Elizabeth: The Golden Age, I arrived early at the first showing on Friday at noon. I should've slept in.

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Back From the East - Everything's Changed

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Contributed by: Karin McGuire on 11/15/2007

The Pledge of Allegiance sounds different to me. I say it every day as a teacher and I stand with my class and I place my hand over my heart. As I look down the hall, I hold my hand out to those still walking to signal them to stand still, for just a moment.

In Philadelphia, PA, I attended a national conference and found the classes were over each day at about 2:30 p.m. I've never been a good tourist as I prefer to go to out of the way places, so I wasn't sure what I would be willing to see and do in Philly.

Having the good fortune to have a colleague who had done her graduate studies there, I walked and walked around town...and history.

As I stood in the room where Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin worked to lay the groundwork for this country I was in awe. I walked to the home Jefferson rented and viewed the two rooms where he slept and wrote, and re-wrote, and re-wrote what is now our Declaration of Independence.

I stood in the courtyard where it was first read publicly. A few blocks away was the house where Betsy Ross carried on her upholstery trade and, by visit of one George Washington, agreed to produce the American flag. Ross sewed in the upstairs room as it was war time and she would have been punished or killed were she discovered.

It was an amazing moment staring at the Liberty Bell. History was about two feet from my hand. Staring across the street at Independence Hall I remember the long room on the second floor which served as a hospital at one point during the war. I remembered looking at Jefferson's cane still resting on a table. I realized that this country's founders were very much human. They traveled when it wasn't convenient, gave up time with their families when they'd rather be at home and they suffered much discomfort and risk with their vision for this country. They were very much a group of risk takers and certainly not popular with everyone. They disagreed with each other, but as the Declaration of Independence had to be approved unanimously, they negotiated and debated, and at last they compromised. I appreciate freedom and the opportunities I've been given.

I certainly looked forward to this past Veteran's Day more than I ever have because of the understanding of this country's beginnings. I have worked for veteran's organizations and events and I am proud of my son in his military career, but seeing the room where a small group of people changed the course of history for this country has made everything different.

It was a trip I wish everyone could make as it brought an appreciation for freedoms that sometimes seem to come in small steps. It's made a difference in my life. Even the Pledge of Allegiance sounds different.

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