Postcard from Lexington

LEXINGTON, Massachusetts – The autumn colors had barely begun, when the first snow of the year came down. Most of the outdoor exhibits had closed by then. In Massachusetts, as one civil servant stated, they were well-attuned to the seasonal changes. Each autumn, the transition to winter came abruptly. Blue, blustery skies one day, followed by cold onslaught the next.

The Lexington Battle Green was free for everyone to witness. This compliant lawn was where the shot was heard round the world. Everything was similar to how it was on that fateful morning in 1775. Trees and their yellowed leaves sprawled out on the grass. Groups stood in front of the Minute Man statue with the grey sprinkle cast overhead.

Not far from Lexington was Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts. Louisa May Alcott hails from these tepid forests. Within walking distance is Walden pond, where Thoreau’s simple shed is located. In its unremarkableness lies its remarkableness, the act of civil disobedience in such an ordinary spot.