After some summer fanfare surrounding the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, commemorations have been muted at best. That may reflect a sour national mood in which 71% of adults think we’re on the wrong track and 66% disapprove of the President. Or it could simply reflect a lack of planning around additional events beyond the traditional Fourth of July festivities.
■ The truth is that things didn’t go all that brightly for the Continental Army back in 1776. In late October of that year, George Washington lost the Battle of White Plains and had to retreat northward, leaving the British with control over New York City and its surrounding environs. It might seem a little unusual to celebrate what was clearly a tactical defeat.
■ But perhaps that’s exactly what we should be commemorating, in a spirit of humility and good cheer. Winning is obviously the objective of any fight, but we would be naive to remember July 4, 1776 as the conclusion of the fight for independence. The real narrative included victory as well as defeat, not to mention setbacks, retrenchments, and negotiations.
■ Every pursuit of something better will come with those things, sometimes in painful measure. Believing in something new is exciting, but keeping the faith when times turn hard is more determinative. There are real lessons in the story of 1776 for us today, but they’re not all about what happened in Philadelphia in mid-summer. Great troubles can be overcome, but only with patient endurance and a tolerance for setbacks.