Hello! Hello! I have been pondering a lot lately about patriotism. Dictionary.com defines patriotism as "devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; or national loyalty." With the Fourth of July quickly approaching, I began with my ancestors that had served in the American Revolutionary War. There are many. For example, one of my fifth great-grandfathers, John Shaffer, served as General Washington's private secretary. He witnessed first hand the terrible winter of Valley Forge. Another great-grandfather (6th g-g), Amos Perry, was at Concord on April 19, 1775, and took part in the first shots of the war.
Then, my thoughts extended to other ancestors who served in the armed forces of their countries. There are even more. Both of my grandfathers served in WWII. One of them, Hyrum Ray Peterson, was in the Marines. After WWII, he was sent to Korea. There, he suffered and survived the Chosin Reservoir massacre. He was one of a small number of survivors known as the Chosin Few. My other grandfather, Roy Godfrey Maynes, served in the Cavalry. During one particular battle, all of his leaders fell. His platoon was in disarray and did not know what to do. He stepped up to the plate, took charge, and led his comrades safely through the remainder of the battle. Afterwards, he was advanced to the rank of captain. One of my g-grandfathers, Hyrum Smith Peterson, served in WWI. He saw a lot of action overseas and was in attendance when the Treaty of Versailles was signed.
My thoughts continued to expand to memories of my grandparents who showed patriotism in smaller less noticeable ways. My Grandpa Peterson (Ray) always became emotional when he saw a flag of the United States of America. He proudly saluted that flag and felt tremendous loyalty for the country it represented. My other grandfather (Roy) watched the news every night. He felt that it was important to know what was happening in the country he loved so dearly.
Finally, my thoughts narrowed in on specific ways I can be a better patriot. One scripture I read this morning pricked my heart. It touched on an area I feel I need to improve in. The scripture reads, "Curse not the king, no not in thy thought..." (Ecclesiastes 10:20). This stung. I do not live in a country with a king; however, I have been guilty of voicing my non-supportive opinion about our current President on more than one occasion. How grateful I am to live in a country where I can express my opinion, but I realized that although I may not agree with his actions, I should not belittle him.
Patriotism takes many forms. As tomorrow marks another day to remember the history of my dear country, I thank God for my patriotic heritage and the blessings I enjoy. I thank Him for opportunities to develop greater patriotism myself, and I pray that I can continue to weave the chain of patriotism for my descendants.
