The first line of the US Declaration of Independence reads “In Congress July 4th 1776”. It is because of that first line in the Declaration that tomorrow my offices along with countless other businesses will close and celebrate Independence Day.
I had the pleasure and at times aggravation of working with my father in law in a family business. If you have had a similar opportunity you have likely also experienced both emotions. You also are aware sometimes it’s the small things that aggravate the nerves. It’s the small things, the small phrases that pierce feelings at times. These small things can also be life learning events, things you add to your life for your betterment and enrichment, and now they can be the subject of a blog, now they can bring a smile to the face of the reader.
One of the few talents I think I have is a very good memory of events, conversations, and what people say. Yes, there are times where my wife really doesn’t believe what I repeat as her words, but I stand by my talent. Because I leaned on this talent likely too much my father in law would remind me from time to time that “the faintest ink beats the best memory.” Of course he hadn’t seen too much of my handwriting, my mind at times was easier to read than my notes. That phrase pierced as a criticism but after willfully ignoring his advice for some time I finally acknowledged that he was likely correct. Today I take good notes and encourage my employees to do the same. I am not as good with dates, I have been known to carry a card with my anniversary and children’s birthdays written upon it. My father in law’s other advice was to date my notes, if I wrote it down date it, date the thought, date the experience, date the day you made a decision, date your signature “the date and time may be as important as the thought or event” he would say.
It is on the 4th that with fireworks, parades, and picnics we celebrate our liberty because Jefferson and others dated their document. The funny thing is that the congress in that meeting on July 4th 1776 only approved the wording. The actual vote for independence took place two days earlier on July the 2nd. July 4th isn’t even the day the document was signed. It wasn’t until July 19th that congress decided they should sign the document, the first signature that of John Hancock didn’t happen till August 2 and the signatures that appear at the bottom of the document were added over the course of days, weeks, months, and in one case years later. The last signature of Thomas McKean wasn’t placed on the Declaration until 1781.
In a letter to his wife dated July 3rd1776 John Adams says of the Day of Independence that this day “July 2, 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more”
John Adams thought of July 2nd as Independence Day! John Adams was right about the celebratory events, he was just off a couple of days. If Jefferson hadn’t dated his notes, if the date was not so prominently displayed in the declaration, and we had listened to John Adams I would have had a three day weekend this week.
Wonder if Jefferson’s father in law and mine are related?
David
