I spent a year trying to live like the Founding Fathers in an attempt to glean as much wisdom as I could from that time.
It was an experience that made me grateful for many things.
It made me grateful for democracy, especially our rights, like the First Amendment.
VISITING THE CONSTITUTION CAN REMIND US THAT AMERICA IS ABOUT 'WE THE PEOPLE'
And it also made me thankful for…stretchy socks.
Let me explain to you.
Bestselling author AJ Jacobs “lived” the Constitution for a year and wrote about it in his new book, “The Year of Living Constitutionally.” In this original article for Fox News Digital, he notes, “There is much to learn from the Founders era about virtue, sacrifice, and fear of tyranny.” (A.J. Jacobs)
During my year, I committed to the bit, as my kids say.
I devoured 18th century books on politics.
I talked about the Constitution with friends over mugs of beer.
CAKE AND DEMOCRACY ARE A SWEET COMBINATION, SAYS BESTSELLER AUTHOR: 'FREEDOM IS A GIFT'
But I also dressed the part. I was wearing my tricorn hat (my kids didn't walk within 50 feet of me). Every day I put on my 18th-century-style buckled shoes and wool stockings.
“Noticing the little things and being grateful for them has made my life so much better.”
Those socks had no elastic and they slid down my calves and formed a small puddle around my ankles. So I did what our ancestors did. He wore sock belts.
HEALTH, HAPPINESS AND HELPING OTHERS ARE VITAL PARTS OF A FREE AND RESPONSIBLE SOCIETY, THE FOUNDING FATHERS TEACHED
They weren't even garters, they were just little belts that I had to tie around my socks every morning.
I will never get back the combined hours I spent putting on sock belts during my year.
It's a small thing, I know. But that's the point.
As part of his year-long celebration of the United States Constitution, Jacobs prepared a series of “election cakes” to honor the right and privilege of voting. (A.J. Jacobs)
We take a lot of little things for granted. Like elastic socks.
Realizing these little things and being grateful for them has made my life so much better.
WHY AMERICANS NEED MORE FACE-TO-FACE CIVIL DISCUSSIONS 'WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEIR OWN BUBBLE'
There is much to learn from the era of the Founders about virtue, sacrifice, and fear of tyranny.
“Despite all the problems we face today (and they are many), I am grateful that we have made progress as a society in so many areas.”
But at the same time, in hundreds of ways, the good old days were not good.
They were smelly, dangerous and cruel.
MAKING THINGS BY HAND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE GREAT TRADITION OF AMERICAN INDIVIDUALISM
This book made me thankful that we don't live in the 18th century, a time when drinking water was often contaminated. When you could die from an infected cut on your finger. When cutting-edge medicine included the “tobacco enema,” in which a doctor literally blew smoke up your butt.
Author Jacobs followed the Founding Fathers and used pen and ink to write most of his book. (AJ Jacobs; iStock)
Consider long distance communication in the days of yore.
I know that email and texting have huge disadvantages. But at the same time, I don't want to completely go back to the 18th century method of correspondence.
IN AN ELECTION YEAR, AMERICANS NEED FEWER HOT TAKES AND MORE SERIOUS REASONING
To collect letters you had to ride a horse along unpaved roads to the post office.
And you may not even know you have a letter waiting for you until you read an alert in the local newspaper. It was surprisingly inefficient.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
If you read the letters exchanged between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, you will discover that many of them are fascinating and profound.
“The Year of Living Constitutionally” is published by Crown. (Fox News Digital)
However, a lot of the correspondence boils down to things like: “Did you receive the letter I sent you on May 8? And you responded and I still haven't received the response? Please answer my question about your response, so I can answer that.”
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
Despite all the problems we face today (and there are many), I am grateful that we have made progress as a society in so many areas.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
John Quincy Adams once said, “Gratitude fills the soul to overflowing and leaves little room for any other feeling or thought.”
Jacobs said he is “grateful for democracy, especially our rights, like the First Amendment.” (A.J. Jacobs)
I try to fill my soul every day.
“The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning” by AJ Jacobs (2024) is published by Crown.
