Happy 250th Birthday, America
There’s a story from the end of the Revolutionary War I want to tell as we celebrate America’s 250th Birthday, and it’s one everyone in the world can learn from.
George Washington, at that moment, after commanding the American forces to victory, was the most powerful man in the new country. Many people talked about making him King of America.
Across the ocean, King George was sitting with an American painter, and asked what he thought Washington would do now that the war was ending. The painter said he believed he would go back to his farm.
The King said, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
Washington did it. Then he did it again after two terms as President.
The founding of this country was a lesson in serving causes bigger than yourself.
It’s right there at the end of the Declaration of Independence: “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.“
Mutually. Pledge to each other.
I hope the celebration of America’s 250th birthday reminds all of us the power of serving a cause bigger than ourselves, of choosing community over selfishness, of being there for each other.
We don’t need politicians for that. We have the power to mutually pledge to lift each other up.
Happy 250th Birthday, America!