I spent a year trying to live like the Founding Fathers in an attempt to gain whatever wisdom I could from that era.
It was an experience that made me grateful for many things.
It made me grateful for democracy, especially our rights, such as the First Amendment.
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And it also made me grateful for … elastic socks.
Let me explain.
During my year, I committed to the bit, as my kids say.
I devoured 18th century books about politics.
I talked about the Constitution with friends over tankards of ale.
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But I also dressed the part. I wore my tricorne hat (my kids wouldn’t walk within 50 feet of me). Every day, I put on my buckled shoes and my 18th century-style wool stockings.
“Noticing the small things, and being grateful for them, has made my life much better.”
Those stockings had no elastic, and they would slide down my calves and form a little puddle around my ankles. So I did what our ancestors did. I wore sock belts.
They weren’t even garters, they were just tiny belts that I had to strap around the top of my socks every morning.
I will never get back the combined hours that I spent putting on sock belts during my year.
It’s a small thing, I know. But that’s the point.
We take so many small things for granted. Like elastic socks.
Noticing these small things, and being grateful for them, has made my life much better.
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There is much to learn from the Founders’ era about virtue, sacrifice and fear of tyranny.
“Despite all the problems we face today — and there are many — I’m thankful we have made progress as a society in so many areas.”