Independence Day
Next to Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day (which isn’t really an “official” holiday, I know), Independence Day was always my favorite. It was Summer at its best…picnics, frolicking in grassy parks, barbeques and watermelon, and a sense of freedom about which I only had the tiniest inkling. What a great day it was to be alive, and full of hope and great expectations for a promising future. For a kid, life was always grand come July 4th.
But I suspect that for many people this Independence Day, life’s not at all so “grand.” Even among the more affluent whose formerly tidy estates have disintegrated into worthless real estate deeds, stock certificates and dwindling bank accounts, things are beginning to look pretty grim right now. I have a number of once optimistic friends who are beginning to believe that empty store shelves, bread lines and soup kitchens might become a reality soon. I shake my head when I hear such talk, for I well know by this point that the more of us that think that way, the more it does become a reality.
To me, they’ve lost track of who they are, and how “independence” is created and maintained. It’s not about the things we have or don’t have. It’s about who we are, what sort of attitude we have, and how strong our friendships and family ties are. It’s also about our faith in ourselves, and how willing we are to brush off adversity and appearance of gloom and doom on the horizon, and shine our lights as brightly as possible. It’s about giving back to others in any way possible, and not complaining, commiserating or giving up. It’s caring about and respecting others, no matter who they are or what their age, gender or cultural backgrounds might be. That sets us all free, sooner or later.
The bleak and gloomy prospects on that horizon are merely dark clouds, and their impact on us will be directly proportional to the degree of collective belief we have in either dispersing them or drawing them to us…just as it was for our Forefathers and veterans of many wars who went through real gloomy times to make sure that we wouldn’t have to. So, I’m urging you to embrace a more positive outlook no matter what, to see if we can re-discover our true independence…again.
Happy Fourth to you…
Don Kirchner
ReturnToHonor.org
