I'm sure I will have plenty of kid pictures from bbqs, fireworks, and other fun 4th of July events to post later, but I wanted to post some thoughts now. I think it's easy to get so caught up in the fun traditions of holidays, that we forget what the holidays are all about. So today I just want to say how grateful I am for what this holiday represents - our nation's independence. I am grateful to have been born in a country that is free. I have had the opportunity to learn more about our nation by seeing the process through the eyes of someone who wasn't born here. Marcos was born in Argentina, but is now a US citizen. He LOVES Argentina and it will always be his birth country, but he has such an appreciation for what he has been given as a citizen of the United States. He appreciates and thanks the soldiers more than I have ever seen anyone do in my life. It has only made my already patriotic heart swell more with thankfulness and appreciation. I cannot imagine living without the ability to speak my mind or worship the way I choose. It's an amazing gift that we tend to take for granted! I am amazed by the inspiration and guidance given to our early leaders who fought such an uphill battle to obtain this freedom, and can barely choke back tears at the thought of those past and present who gave their lives to preserve that freedom.
Because we live close to an airforce base, we have had numerous friends who have recently made sacrifices to serve our country. That is so real to me. Sometimes it's hard to envision those sacrifices, but I have friends who have been pregnant and had babies without their husbands by their side and others who have had to live alone for months at a time while this sacrifice was made. How thankful I am to these individuals for their military service.
We can be such a pessimistic society sometimes. I turn on talk radio or the news and am bombarded with such messages of all the things gone wrong. The media loves a good story. Do we have problems? Yes. Should we try to work on them? Yes. Should we pay attention and participate in the political process to help elect good men and women who can represent us well? Yes. But let us not forget all we have to be thankful for. Our constitution was so beautifully crafted that it never ceases to amaze me. Let us not forget tonight what our flag represents when we hold our hand over our heart in respect for those lives sacrificed. As we watch the colorful fireworks with our families, let us not forget "the bombs bursting in air".We are so truly blessed. Happy 4th of July!
2 comments:
We saw Marcos on Saturday on our way home. He drove in front of us by Layton High School. It was fun to see a familiar face in the crowded 'city'!
He told me he saw you guys. I'm so sad I wasn't with him in the car. I sent him for a little drive to put Dylan to sleep. He never takes naps, but had two late nights and early mornings in a row. I knew he would need a little nap if we were going to survive our busy day. Did you come up for the holiday?
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