It's interesting to me how much time has transpired since my first really memorable 4th of July. That one was 1976, and my family at the time made a trip to the East Coast, bought a car, and traveled down the Eastern Seaboard. I remember waking up in New Jersey the morning of the 4th, and us driving until we got to my parents friends house near McLean Virginia to celebrate the evening of the 4th with Fireworks seen from the Capitol and other parts of the Potomac. I was 9, and from that day on, the 4th was something special (celebrating the Bicentennial probably also made it a little more potent of an experience for many I'm sure.
Since then, 33 years have passed and I've lived long enough to see the ups and the downs of this country, but one thing is certain... it's people are resilient. They are proud, courageous, and they care about their land. That's not a platitude, it's an observation, one Ive seen over the past 33 years many times.
So today, while celebrating the BBQ, the fireworks, and other trappings that we all consider part of the 4th of July, let's also all take a moment to celebrate "Independence Day" and to also remember all of those people who, over the past 233 years, have given their all so that we can still celebrate today our independence. Let us also reflect a bit on those whose Independence we had a hand in taking away (can't have the good without the bad, as I said, and there were 500 nations here before we were here). Let's pledge once again on our country's birthday to make this country one that will be proud to call itself "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave".
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