Ah, the delightful days of kindergarten! Many adults yearn to revisit that time, crafting macaroni necklaces, wielding glue sticks, and absorbing the fundamentals. What a splendid notion, isn’t it?
It marks the inaugural year when a multitude of us commenced our days by reciting the “Pledge of Allegiance” before the school flag. Around twenty young voices harmonizing the lyrics, each with a hand placed solemnly over our hearts. Amid the endearing artwork, one boy’s rendition stands out as particularly charming.
Lacey Nicole Holmes, a mother from Texas, shared a heartwarming video on Facebook that stirred many to tears. The footage captures her two-and-a-half-year-old son enthusiastically reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in their cozy living room.
Typically, toddlers favor nursery rhymes and tunes from their beloved shows (my kids belted out so many Barney songs that they still linger in my memory).
Encountering a small child earnestly reciting the words to a patriotic anthem like our pledge is a rare and heartening sight. This little fellow has it all down pat. In Holmes’ video, her toddler stands in the living room sporting a monster truck t-shirt. Adhering to the school teachings, he places his right hand over his heart, ready to showcase his newfound knowledge to all.
Prompting his mother with a simple “Go,” the child initiates the recording. Although no visible American flag graces the video, the toddler’s eyes flick upward, suggesting an imaginary one in the backdrop. He proceeds to articulate patriotic phrases.
It’s evident he has committed the Pledge of Allegiance to memory, yet, in true two-year-old fashion, his pronunciation is irresistibly endearing.
According to US History, Francis Bellamy composed the “Pledge of Allegiance” in 1892, but it differed from the contemporary version. Originally, it read:
“I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic it represents.”
The phrase “Under God” was absent in the initial edition. Over time, the Pledge of Allegiance underwent modifications, incorporating “the flag of the United States of America” in 1923 and introducing “under God” in 1954.