The American Evolution

Two hundred and thirty eight years ago a group of men declared a new nation to be independent. I try to imagine what it must have been like for these men to take this stance at at time when freedom was a still a commodity to be cherished. Two centuries later freedom is too often presumed to be unceasing, blemishing the value of this equity. These men we once called "Founding Fathers" were people of great character. It was in this character that their hope for the future was rooted. They were courageous men, men of dreams, men of faith and family men. They knew that to surrender to the tyrannical government from which they had taken flight was cowardice. Surrender would demolish dreams, cause faith to falter and dismantle families. Oh, what it must have been like to be with this group of men in the sitting room as strategies were discussed, consequences considered and hopes abounded.

Today, July 4, 2014, freedom still stands because of men like these who sat behind closed doors in collective thought and prayer. But so much has changed, evolved if you will.

Family, fireworks and frankfurters are the order for today. Little thought will be given to freedom or the cost to preserve it. We will dream of the perfect rib eye or potato salad without much effort expended on thoughts of the future for this great land. Common faith is no longer common; we are now taught to have faith in faith and to each his own.

Families are fractured. Scattered by design, the family structure has evolved and continues to do so at a rapid and unhealthy pace. I fear that the day will come when like individual faith we will have but individual families. Children calling out to their father, "Wow!" as the scan the heavens for colorful fireworks will be just an echo of the past.

This American Evolution is applauded by many and feared by few. Today tell your children the story of America before it is faded beyond recognition, beyond memory.

Today my own family is scattered. It saddens me greatly not to be with those that are miles away or just a few blocks down the street. Yet I will thank God for what He has provided, for without that I would be alone. And on this Independence Day not a single soul should be left alone.

Happy 4th of July to you, my friends and family.

A time to read

I found a rock to hide under. It wasn't pleasant but it kept me from facing life which has become unbearably complicated since the beginning of the New Year. The details of that which enticed me to seek refuge under the rock is not important nor what I sat out to write about tonight. What happened when I was hiding from the world is what I want to share with you.

I rediscovered a passion that dates back to my youth...reading. My book shelves are filled with books that I have read over the years. Most of them I have read once, some even twice before.The vary in genre, length and author. But theses books all have one thing in common, they are indeed books. Real books with pages, words written in ink, bindings and glue. They have an aroma to them that only a book reader would recognize. Pages dog-eared over the years mark past reading habits; I found they have changed very little.

In 1953 Ray Bradbury published the book "Fahrenheit 451", a futuristic tale about the burning of books, all books. As a side note, if you have never read "Fahrenheit 451" you should. From under my rock I considered that today we are burning books in a different way...we simply don't print them. The popularity of e-books has created a multimillion dollar industry. I have e-published my last few books without making them available in print; it is cheaper and easier.

I am guilty!

Books were meant to be held close when the words move you to tears. They were made to be tucked under your pillow when your eyes became to heavy to continue the adventure. Books were made to share and to pass down to our children and grandchildren. Books were made to line otherwise empty shelves.

You can't do that with your e-book.

So I had an idea, actually a number of ideas. I have decided that the book I am currently working on, the third and final story about the lives of the Goode family (due out late this year), will be available in both formats, the e-book and the hold it your hands and cherish it book. The second part of my idea, and the one that I am excited about (it is good to be excited about something again) is a website that I am building that will be dedicated exclusively to real, paper-bound books. There is still much work to do in the planning of the website, flippinpages. I hope to have the site up by weeks end.

The last idea was to solicit your help in promoting this idea. http://teespring.com/flippinpages features a t-shirt designed by me with help of my son, Joseph Tyler.

I hope this is just the beginning of an idea that will develop into something I can tell the world "I did". If you do nothing else, read a book...before they are all gone.