Salute to America

Happy 4th of July!

Every year we pause on this day to reflect on the freedoms that we, as Americans, all enjoy. Freedom of speech, religion, the press, and the right to bear arms (among others).

The day is spent in picnics, at campgrounds, and on our waterways enjoying friends and family. The evening skies are full of colorful fireworks, which we have long forgotten represent the night skies over Fort Sumter so many years ago.

Freedom for me today was the right to enjoy a rainy day by spending it inside. Baked some brownies, checked e-mails and Facebook, and now cleaning house. Intersperse that with calls to family and friends and it is a great day.

Sometimes I wonder if we (as the "big people") are doing our job and passing on the values that were given to us as youngsters. Our new president speaks to service, volunteerism, and the like. We learned such values in church and scouts. Where do the youth today turn to learn these things? What is our responsibility?

"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." - Soren Kierkegard (1813-1855)