I Just Forget Sometimes

A Semiquincentennial Dialogue with My Five-Year-Old Self

Dear Reader,

Happy Independence Day—our 250th. As old as that might feel here in the U.S., remember that there are European pubs and Greenland sharks that have been around twice as long as our nation. So celebrate, but keep perspective, too.

I was five at the time of the bicentennial celebration in 1976. Maybe because I was so young then, the nation felt so old; 200 years seemed ancient at the time. Now at 55, I’ve discovered I’ve been around for just over 20% of the lifetime of these United States, a fact that causes me to feel old and the country young(er).

Regardless, 250 years for a nation built on the ideals of popular sovereignty, natural rights, social contracts, limited government (sigh), and the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a pretty good run. In fact, one might argue it’s no small miracle our nation is still around, as it’s hard to wrangle and keep all that freedom from going completely off the rails.

Despite what we’re sometimes tempted to believe, the United States is not God’s favorite, nor His gift to the world, at least no more than anyone else. This doesn’t mean we’re wrong to love our nation (I do very much), but let’s not idolize America to the point of it replacing the One who, in His providence, put us here.

The following is not a political statement, nor a patriotic exercise; rather, it’s a authentic attempt to suss out what I think about our country at 250. I did this by “talking” with the 5-year-old version of myself from 1976 (photo below) who had yet to learn to complicate things as I tend to do now. We had a good discussion.

Happy birthday, America. And thanks for reading Second Drafts.

Craig

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Circa 1976 with sisters Jamie (3) and Jill (1).

That’s me in back—five years old, Uncle Sam hat, 1976, the year America turned 200. I wondered what that kid would make of where we are, so I asked him.

Craig, 55: That’s quite a lot of red, white, and blue.
Craig, 5: It’s America’s birthday!
Craig, 55: So?
Craig, 5: So? 200 years is really old!
Craig, 55: It’s actually 250 years now. And I’ve been alive for a fifth of that time.
Craig, 5: Wow! You’re old, too!
Craig, 55: You could say that. What’s your favorite thing about our nation?
Craig, 5: Oh, I don’t know. Probably the food…and the freedom, I guess.
Craig, 55: What do you mean, freedom?
Craig, 5: You know: running around outside; no one telling me what to do (except my parents, of course); staying up late for fireworks. Freedom.
Craig, 55: Is that all freedom is? Getting to do what you want?
Craig, 5: No. It’s not just getting to do what I want to do.
Craig, 55: What do you mean?
Craig, 5: Other people are free to do what they want to do, too.
Craig, 55: Can you all really be free to do what you want to do?
Craig, 5: For the most part, as long as we’re good to one another.
Craig, 55: Isn’t that hard?
Craig, 5: Sometimes. We have laws that help us know what to do.
Craig, 55: What if you don’t like or follow those laws?
Craig, 5: No more freedom then. It’s not that hard to understand.
Craig, 55: Seems hard to me. And to a lot of other people.
Craig, 5: Are people being mean to each other?
Craig, 55: You could say that. Even with more laws, people aren’t getting along.
Craig, 5: Who’s making the laws?
Craig, 55: Lawmakers. Sometimes Presidents.
Craig, 5: Well, there’s your problem.
Craig, 55: What’s your solution?
Craig, 5: Ice cream.
Craig, 55: How is ice cream going to fix anything?
Craig, 5: Ice cream doesn’t fix things. It just helps you talk about things better.
Craig, 55: Ice cream?
Craig, 5: Yes, ice cream. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like ice cream.
Craig, 55: What if you met someone who didn’t like ice cream?
Craig, 5: Then I would find something else he liked that I liked and talk over that.
Craig, 55: Sounds reasonable.
Craig, 5: But you have to do more than talk. You have to understand.
Craig, 55: Understand his argument?
Craig, 5: No, silly. Understand his need.
Craig, 55: What do you mean?
Craig, 5: Unless you understand his need, you’ll never understand his argument.
Craig, 55: I don’t disagree with you, but…
Craig, 5: Are we still the good guys?
Craig, 55: Good guys? What do you mean?
Craig, 5: You know, the good guys. The guys who do good when others need help.
Craig, 55: That’s a complicated question. It depends who you ask…and about what.
Craig, 5: I’m asking you. About anything.
Craig, 55: Well, I think our nation has done a lot of good, but it’s not been all good.
Craig, 5: Of course. Nobody’s perfect. Even I know that.
Craig, 55: But I’m not talking just imperfect. I’m talking some really evil, bad stuff.
Craig, 5: Okay.
Craig, 55: Over and over.
Craig, 5: Sure.
Craig, 55: I mean a lot.
Craig, 5: Whoa! Stop! I get it! So why are you still here then if it’s all so bad?
Craig, 55: Because our nation has done some really good, amazing stuff, too.
Craig, 5: More good than bad?
Craig, 55: I want to think so—all over the world. But I’m not sure that’s the point.
Craig, 5: It’s not.
Craig, 55: What do you mean?
Craig, 5: You shouldn’t be surprised when people do bad things.
Craig, 55: Believe me, I’m not.
Craig, 5: But you also shouldn’t give up on people doing good things, either.
Craig, 55: Why not?
Craig, 5: Rules can stop some bad things, but they can’t make people good.
Craig, 55: Maybe that’s why everyone thinks power and control are the answer.
Craig, 5: Have those worked?
Craig, 55: I see your point.
Craig, 5: Do you know what I think?
Craig, 55: What do you think?
Craig, 5: I think power and control are why people are mean to each other.
Craig, 55: I think you’re right.
Craig, 5: And I think that power and control are the opposite of what freedom is.
Craig, 55: I think you’re probably right.
Craig, 5: But I don’t think that means there is no right or wrong, good or evil.
Craig, 55: I also agree. But who gets to decide? And how do we know?
Craig, 5: God knows. And we are free to believe Him. Don’t you still know that?
Craig, 55: I do. I just forget sometimes.
Craig, 5: You shouldn’t do that. It makes things harder.
Craig, 55: It does. You’re right. How do I trust God more?
Craig, 5: I don’t know. Maybe start by remembering what you already know.
Craig, 55: That sounds like a good place to start.
Craig, 5: We should talk more about it. Let’s go get some ice cream.

Here’s to a greater God-dependent independence, all. Lord, have mercy.

“It is when we forget God that tyrants forge our chains.”—Patrick Henry