Today we celebrate Independence Day here in the United States. Many Americans will celebrate by grilling and getting together with friends and family. They might have a hot dog or hamburger, drink a beer or two and then settle in to watch some fireworks. Most will not even give a second thought to those who wanted freedom badly enough that they laid down their lives in order to secure it for you and I.
As I wrote the above, I couldn't help but think that this is exactly what I hear from at least two or three other people every Fourth of July, Memorial Day or Veteran's Day. I know it's shameful but I hear these words and I say inside my head, "Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, heard it before, yada, yada,yada..." Maybe a better question that we need to be asking ourselves is this: What are we doing with our freedom that they fought so hard to give us? Are we content to sit on our behinds, just take take take from everyone and let the world pass us by or are we active participants in the world around us, questioning when things aren't right and putting the needs of others ahead of ourselves? I know I sometimes fall in the trap of that first kind of person but I sure do want to be that second person.
Happy Fourth of July everyone!!
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