[On Christmas Day 1776, George Washington had Paine’s first essay read to his dispirited soldiers to boost moral. Shortly afterward the energized soldiers — emboldened by Paine’s words — launched a surprise attack on unsuspecting Hessians and won the decisive battle of Trenton.]
THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
Thomas Paine, Dec 23, 1776
It is so easy to underestimate the value of an inheritance when you forget the price that was paid by your forefathers. The most valuable commodities in the universe have been inherited by us, and so many have forgotten the price that was paid. Sadly, we only realized the value when it was being slowly stolen from us. The price to keep it was cheap, but we were unwilling to pay because we did not realize its value. Now that it is gone, we will pay a huge price. Freedom and opportunity is what we have been losing, that is the American Dream, not material goods. No matter how poor, destitute, illiterate and humble our beginnings, there is opportunity to succeed and live a happy and peaceful life. That is what we are fighting to regain. The ability to live in Peace and obtain what modicum of success that we deem sufficient.