in honor of the day

My poor husband is in Taiwan now – ‘poor’ because it took him 48 hours to get there, door-to-door. His plane was delayedf for more than a day because they had to get a part from somewhere else. At least the airline got him a comfortable hotel (in den Haag because apparently Amsterdam was full up), conveyed him there and back and fed him.

By the time he got there he had no idea what time it was – he asked me if I’d “gotten to work yet” when it was three in the afternoon here! But to his credit he remembered to wish me a happy anniversary first thing. And it is happy, too, or at least being married to him is, even if we can’t spend today together. I do not think he was completely flattered when I had “Well worth the hassle” engraved in his wedding ring a few years back, but I stand by the sentiment. (I thought it was flattering. After all, no one including himself ever thought he’d be easy to live with. He has high expectations, not of what other people will do for him, but of what they will do for and with themselves.)

And in honor of the other important anniversary today, I will give you Phil Ochs’ words. Combine this song and American the Beautiful and I think you’ve captured both the glory and the challenges of the US.

Come and take a walk with me thru this green and growing land
Walk thru the meadows and the mountains and the sand
Walk thru the valleys and the rivers and the plains
Walk thru the sun and walk thru the rain

Here is a land full of power and glory
Beauty that words cannot recall
Oh her power shall rest on the strength of her freedom
Her glory shall rest on us all (on us all)

From Colorado, Kansas, and the Carolinas too
Virginia and Alaska, from the old to the new
Texas and Ohio and the California shore
Tell me, who could ask for more?

Yet she’s only as rich as the poorest of her poor
Only as free as the padlocked prison door
Only as strong as our love for this land
Only as tall as we stand.