July 4, 1976. Our nation’s bicentennial. I can vividly remember celebrating by ringing a small Liberty Bell replica that my father had mounted to the wall outside the back door. Life was simpler then. The only thing I remember about politics was that presidential addresses would interrupt Little House on the Prairie. That summer was spent with the other neighborhood kids running up and down the street or, when it got really hot, praying the Tatum’s would take us to West Hill’s Country Club for a dip in the pool.
Here I sit, 35 years later, and wonder at what time the innocence of youth was lost. What happened to the joy of living in such a wonderful country? Is the average pre-teen aware of the current political situation or are they as carefree as I was back then? And, if they are not as thrilled at the thought of living in this country as I was at that age, why not?
Just as Christmas should not be all about getting presents from a large man in a red suit and white beard, Independence Day should not just be about who has the best fireworks in the neighborhood. Sure, there is a lot of fun in watching the bright colors burst in mid-air, but the real joy should be in the fact that the booming concussion and the sparks that fly in the sky are followed by oohs and ahhhs and not by screams of terror.
Yes, we are still blessed to live in the land of the free and the brave. We could just as well live in a country where the explosions are real and we cower in a bomb-shelled building praying for our lives. In spite of the fact that for 235 years each generation has claimed that things were so much better when they were kids (except for the uphill walk to school - both ways), America is still an incredible country.
So this year, why not ring a bell for freedom at your house. Teach your children and grandchildren what it means to be able to live without the fear of war in your own backyard. You spend time trying to convince them to be good for the other 11 months of the year, not just December, so show them how to be proud to be an American for 365 days a year – not Just July 4th.
Happy birthday America. And a special thank you to the soldiers that fight to keep us free. God bless you and God bless America.
