America was founded with five guiding ideals in mind:
- equality - a level playing field and equitable treatment of and for all
- rights - privileges granted by the government
- liberty - being able to do what you want to do within reason and without undue interference
- opportunity - the chance to improve your personal circumstances through your own action
- democracy - equal say in matters concerning the governing of ourselves as individuals
All of these concepts can be experienced in some way through the natural bounty offered by our Topsail Island beaches. In eastern NC, you are free to be who you are while enjoying anything and everything that our national seashores have to offer. You can come and go as you please, so long as you maintain basic standards of mutual respectfulness towards our environment and other people.
Put simply, the beach and her gifts belong to us all.
Here, ten notable Americans offer further perspective on how the beach reflects our common ideals as they tell you in their own words what the beach means to them.
This quote by animal-loving actress and breast cancer survivor Christina Applegate embodies the American pastime of dreaming about what our best life looks and feels like while also reminding us that we can all find a way to access and enjoy the gifts of the beach.
America is called the land of opportunity for a very a good reason! Author Mark Twain captured the adventurer's spirit both in the beach quote above as well as many of his novels.
In his inaugural speech as the 35th President of the United States of America, John F. Kennedy famously said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." His legacy is one of forging ways of working together through finding our common interests.
American oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle devoted her award-winning and glass-ceiling breaking career to researching the detrimental effects of pollution and over-fishing on our marine environments.
These first few lines of the Marine Corps Hymn reflect the American values upon which this branch of our military is based: Honor, Courage, and Commitment. From storming foreign beaches to protecting our national shorelines, the Marine Corps shares a strong bond with the beach.
Nature-loving Henry David Thoreau was a consummate non-conformist. From his early days as education and religious liberal to his later days as a vehement abolitionist, Thoreau believed in pushing the envelope of public convention for his own interests as well as for the benefit of others.
New York Times best-selling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen gives voice to one of the many ways that the beach often serves as mode of therapeutic self-discovery while also paying indirect homage to the American principle of "anybody can become anybody they want."
In his Number 1 hit song "Some Beach," down-to-earth country singer Blake Shelton evokes the romance often associated with salty American summer nights.
Uber-successful, girl-power creative powerhouse Beyonce reminds us about how the ocean can humble even those of us with larger-than-life lives.
In quintessential American YOLO fashion, this quote reminds us to seize the retail therapy opportunity of the day, as we only have one life to lead.
As luck would have it, Ward Realty is a full service real estate firm! Not only are we a top-notch vacation rental company, but we have also been assisting in real estate sales and development on Topsail Island since 1947. Our knowledge and service is second to none.
Let us help you buy the beach house today!
What it means to "be" an American may look different to different people. The beach, through the ways that it makes us feel and the ways in which it reminds us of its power and magnitude, often serves as a great equalizer among all people and offers a reminder that we are but mere humans.
Come and visit us on Topsail Island and see for yourself how the beach can make YOU proud to be an American.
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