Standing where it started. We recently traveled the Freedom Trail Boston, walking the 2.5 miles trail to take it all in. Today, on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence I found myself thinking about Samuel Adams’ grave in the Granary Burying Ground in downtown Boston.

Standing at Samuel Adams’ Grave

Sam Adams is my wife Ruth’s ancestor, many generations back on her family line. Standing there, I thought about the long chain of people who have kept freedom and liberty alive in this country since. Adams did his part to secure it then, and the ripples from that work are still reaching us today.

Two Ships, Two Centuries: The Van Baalens and the Mayflower

My own family’s story starts differently but ends up in the same place. The Van Baalen’s arrived in this country in 1857 on a humble merchant ship called the William and Jane. Ruth’s family traces back to the Mayflower itself. Two ships, two centuries apart, and the same reason for getting on board. The American story is a melting pot of stories like these. However we arrived, we were all chasing the same thing, our own personal vision of success and happiness.

A Career Spent Defending the First Amendment

I spent more than 30 years in media, much of that career spent protecting and promoting the First Amendment, the freedom of the press. Standing on the Freedom Trail Boston, it’s hard not to feel the weight of that. The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are the backbone of this country, and every day of my life has been enriched because of those three documents. The very idea I spent decades of my career defending was born on the streets of Boston.

250 Years Later: Still Imperfect, Still Ours

None of this means the country is perfect. It never has been, and it never claimed to be. But it’s still ours, and the freedoms declared 250 years ago come with a responsibility attached, the responsibility of fixing the messes ourselves. Participating in government. Voting. Running for office if you’re called to. Staying informed through a free and responsible press. That responsibility is what we’re really celebrating today.

I’m lucky to have been born into a system still standing after 250 years, still self-correcting, still worth the work it takes to keep it that way. Happy birthday, America.

Plan Your Own Trip to the Freedom Trail Boston

If you are a history fan, I strongly recommend a trip to Boston and the Freedom Trail. We had a chance to write about our hike on the trail, and you can read about it here.