How do you spell Freedom?

note/edit: if you're reading this post for the first time, you might want to start a ways down to the black print & then return here:

"Ironic" (I use that term loosely) - that I found myself viewing AMISTAD w/ my girls today (after publishing this post earlier) as part of Strike's study of Africa. Excellent movie. VERY difficult to watch in some parts - but I highly recommend it. There are few "R" rated movies I will allow my girls to watch ... this is perhaps the only one I've encouraged them to watch ...out of a sense that I owe it to them & to those who have gone before us in the fight against slavery. I was struck (awestruck really) as John Quincy Adams read from a passage written by one of his contemporaries at that time (James Calhoun - I think) ...as war & antagonism are the natural states of man, so to slavery -- as natural as it is inevitable.

John Quincy who fought (& thank God he won) the Amistad "slaves" case at the Supreme Court only shared those words w/ the court in order to create a platform for himself from which to argue that:

the natural state of man is instead freedom - & the proof
is in the length which a man, woman or child
will go to regain it. Once taken, he will break loose his chains...
decimate his enemies....try & try & try against all odds
- against all prejudices - - - to get home.

& "it all" has brought to mind this verse:

¹ The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,

Is 61:1

Our nation's founders spelled "freedom" out in no less than 1337 words in the Declaration of Independence - first read to Bostonians here on July 18, 1776:


However, I (who am directionally challenged) spell it much more concisely...in just three (count 'em!) letters ....

G.P.S!! :)

I suppose my husband gave me one of these trusty little gadgets right before"M" visited from AZ bc I'm so well deserving of one (given how many times I've gotten lost!) - or ph bc he didn't want to be bothered w/ incessant phone calls at work from a panic stricken wife who had no idea where she was ...but - who expected him to figure it out for her - NOW! ... - or - mb it was just bc he loves me & was afraid I'd get myself so lost w/o one that I'd never find my way home?! :)

Knowing I could go ANYWHERE (well almost...the maze of tunnels beneath Boston was one exception :) &, even if I got turned around, I wouldn't get so lost that this little piece of amazing technology couldn't "recalculate" & get me back on track pronto (& minus the usual panic) was so liberating! .

I particularly appreciated the freedom to enjoy interstate travel without government oversight or interference as together "M" & I galivanted all over the New England map...

Leaf Peeping
Kangamagus Hwy
New Hampshire

gotta love their license plate motto


York Beach & the Marginal Way
Maine

Cape Cod & Martha's Vineyard
Massachusetts
even the local bank is beautiful in
a unique "Vineyard" sort of way.

Boston

Historic Lexington & Concord

(Rich history here - where the shot was heard 'round the world - & freedom was achieved via much spilled blood red "ink" before it was ever written onto parchment, declared
...& has been defended ever since)


Tho' my old friend & I had great fun going here, there & everwhere,
my new friend (w/ the initials "G.P.S") quickly became a trusted companion & already has me convinced that indeed...

all roads lead to home :)