No matter What

I'm in Philadelphia, this week on business.
We finished early today so I went to see the Liberty Bell. I drove to the 'historical' district. I quickly found out that Independence Hall was no longer open to wander through, (new security),,but you needed a guided tour.
The next of which would be at 2:45, so I grabbed a ticket. (the tickets are free too!)
I had some time to kill and wandered around to look at the liberty bell, constitution hall, several statues, couple of parks.

Bought one souvenir, a book that defines and explains our constitution.

At 2:45 I started the tour.We walked into a small waiting area, where a National Park Ranger began to tell us some of the history of the building.
Then as I walked into the original courtroom built over 270 years ago, I had this immense sense of peace come over me. I wish I could explain it without sounding weird, but it's true, a physical sense of peace.I looked at the barrister's round table in the center of the room, the grand jury boxes, and the jury box.......wow, this is where some of our first laws were upheld.
Where we began to do, what we said we would do, if people broke the laws. Our laws.

Then we walked across an entry hall to Independence Hall, the room/hall where the Declaration of Independence was written.
Where, at the risk of death, men signed their names to a document that declared, that we would be a free and United Nation under God.I cannot help it, I had tears flowing down my face, as I do now writing this to you.
There was no way that any one of the territories/states could have done it alone, but together, we were strong.
Our first form of Government was formed.....They studied all different forms of government, debated the merits and drawbacks of each...and About four months after the Declaration was written, our Constitution was penned, by this same amazing group of men, with George Washington leading the conversations.
His original chair is still sitting there, at the head of the room, displaying one half of a sun.....Not being sure whether it was a rising or setting sun, the founding fathers of our nation decided that it would represent the rising sun, as the rising of this nation.

The branches of our government were decided upon.I couldn't believe I was in the same room where 'The great comprise' was accepted, where men decided that standing United together was the choice - rather than to divide and fall. Even with differing opinions and backgrounds, they opted to stand strong together.

I have always been proud to be an American, to know that we are the luckiest people on this planet, but I feel it even more today.
No matter your political beliefs, we are all still United! and need to stay that way!
No matter your religious beliefs, we are all still United! and need to stay that way!
No matter what decisions our leaders make, even if we don't agree, we are still and need to stay United!
No matter what, we need to protect our nation and the ideals that were set forth so many years ago, for generations to come.
No matter what.

My dream is to someday to see our Pledge of Allegiance back in our schools,,,as written...
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

How about you?

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings, I've never written a message like this to you all (or anyone for that matter).I felt a huge compelling need to pass on the awe and wonder I felt today.
as I stood in that very same room and looked at the chairs of our founding fathers....and the image of the rising sun...I am Proud to be an American, no matter what.

Victoria
'We all have choices in life, everyday. Are yours in alignment with who you are? With who you want to be?'