A Recent Visit to Annapolis, Maryland

As the month-long birthday celebration continued, on June 18th, a close friend who is a D.C. native took me to Annapolis, Maryland for lunch. It was a beautiful, sweltering hot day made tolerable thanks to a steady, frequent breeze. In addition to enjoying delicious crab cake sandwiches at a restaurant in the heart of Main Street, we strolled around the gorgeous campus of the Naval Academy – a first for me.

The visit to the Naval Academy had special meaning to me because my dear brother Buzzie is a Navy veteran who spent nearly 4 years on a submarine. (Thank you for your service, Buzzie!) I wasn’t prepared for the profound feelings I experienced as I thought about the safety and security that the 4 branches of our military provide which we take for granted every day. The provision of safety and security is why I am able to live comfortably in the United States of America.

One of the birthday gifts I received from a college classmate professionally trained as an attorney is a small bound copy of The Constitution of The United States of America. (Thank you, SisterDiva Darlene!) All 7 Articles of the U.S. Constitution are valuable reads. However, immediately after the visit to Annapolis, I read the Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, specifically Amendment XIII, Amendment XIV, and Amendment XV. These 3 Amendments are rich with enlightenment and worthy of serious consideration.

The 3 Thinkers, a gift from Moriah & Marie & The Constitution of The United States of America

Although my sadness was palpable as I considered the serious erosion of our constitutional freedoms and civil rights – our human rights – I was simultaneously elated about the fact that as an American, I always have choices. And as a registered voter, my choices can be exercised at the ballot box.

Consider your choices, and exercise your human rights always and in all ways.