INDEPENDENCE: the freedom from the control, influence, support, aid or the like, of others.*
July Fourth is celebrated as a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, declaring our independence from Great Britain. The Fourth of July is usually associated with fireworks, picnics, parades, barbeques, family reunions and baseball games. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation’s legacy, laws, society and people. Lots of red, white and blue decorations, streamers, and balloons, along with various sizes of the American Flag are seen at festivities.
As we all stop and think back, each one of us has a favorite Fourth of July that comes to mind. What I remember most is our family gathering, and me and my cousins running around playing tag, hide-and-seek, and Red Rover until it was time for homemade ice cream. We had as much fun with the “crankin’ ” as we did the eating. We would take turns, one sitting on top of the freezer while another cranked; then we would switch. That went on until it got too hard for us “youngsters” to turn. Then the adults finished it off, and we all eagerly waited for our ice-cold bowl on a hot Fourth of July afternoon. As it began to get dark, we all shot fireworks, our fire crackers, Roman candles, whistlers and sky rockets lighting up the sky.
As I recall those memories as a child, I now look at Independence Day somewhat differently. Sure, I still enjoy all the reunions, ice cream and fireworks, but I now truly appreciate and understand our legacy.
Gerald R. Ford once said: “The Declaration of Independence was not a protest against government, but against the excess of government. It prescribed the proper role of government, to secure the rights of individuals and to affect their safety and happiness. In modern society, no individual can do this alone. So government is not a necessary evil but a necessary good.”
Remember our independence as you celebrate this Fourth of July!
*(dictionary.com)