2/04/2010

Carry On!


If you can;  read a story or two about the American Revolution.
It will change you.
It will change your outlook on your own life and family,
your destiny,
and all that may troubling you at this time in your life.

There was really no hope at all for an American victory.
The war was long, very dark and cold. It lasted 8 and half years.
There was death, disease, sickness, starvation, and poverty.
There was defeat after defeat and lack of support for the war effort.
Not everyone was a hero, plenty of men left the fight.
There was no book to read about how to fight a revolution.
They didn't know the future, they didn't know the outcome.
They were untrained, discouraged, unclothed, unfed, and disorganized.

But there was a miracle here and a miracle there.
Even as the miracles took place, things were still tremendously difficult.
Sometimes the miracle was an awful snow storm,
where the men marched with bloody feet to escape their enemy.
The "miracle" snowstorm/fog allowed for the enemy to miss them,
or the freezing wind shifted just so, to allow a narrow escape by boat in icy waters.

Someone would rise to the occasion, and bring a moment of hope,
and slowly ever so slowly, things began to change.
It was not easy, even after the war, there were still many obstacles to overcome.

These stories will help you feel renewed, inspired, full of awe and amazement,
and you will be able to carry on yourself.

It's much more than a history lesson, it's a lesson of the human spirit. A great story.

For an in-depth study David McCullough's books are a great place to start.
It you don't have time, his books are long and detailed, watch a movie done from his book.
It's called John Adams. It's a 6-hour miniseries, broken up in 1 hour parts, well worth watching/renting.
Or just pick up a book in the children's section of your library. I like the biographies.
They are often just the right sized books to read, to give you a quick version of the people, stories, and events about the Revolution.

3 comments:

Amy Mak said...

Read, "Rise to Rebellion" by Shaara. Fascinating and fabulous.

DANIELDOOZ said...

I'm interested. My husband LOVES stuff like that. I enjoy reading your thoughts!

LisaLong said...

Thank you for sharing this Katie!!! I will definitely be getting some books and movies!