For many reasons I, like many, have reason to celebrate this Independance Day. This year was even more special to me...
Having recently driven across America, and seeing part of the country I haven't been to was at the least, humbling. The incredible, expansive beauty we have from the beaches in California to the willow trees in Savannah humbled me in a way I had never experienced before.

I drove along the highway and realized that we, as Americans, and human beings have a great responsibility to take care of and protect Mother Nature at it's finest. Can you imagine what it must be like to have it threatned or our very rights we take for granted every day taken away? Until this past few years, ie, 9/11, this recent war, yesterday, I certainly did.

Yesterday, my family and I went to a pool party and watched the children play in the water while the grown ups talked and grilled hot dogs and other yummy food on the bbq. We then went home and showered and took off to go to a Braves game and then watch fireworks. It was at that time, in a matter of a few minutes and listening to patriotic music, did I really begin to understand what living in this country means to me and having freedom. I suppose you could say it was one of those pivotal moments in my life.

As I sat there with my SO and son, watching fireworks, I looked across the way and there were approx 15 sailors in thier Dress Whites having the time of thier lives. I got a lump in my throat and tear in my eyes trying to imagine what they must be feeling to be home from a hard fought war. For the first time in my life, I could TRULY understand, what the words meant "I'm Proud to be an American". My Mother would talk about when my dad came home from Vietnam like this and I'll never forget when I took them to DC and they saw the Memorial for the first time. They cried like I had never seen before and felt for them but didn't fully understand it all. Now I do.

The traditions of baseball, cookouts and fireworks, among others are things I grew up loving. I looked down to see my little one with his hand on his heart standing up looking into the sky with his eyes as big as silver dollars, singing the National Anthem, and again, realized these are the very core reasons to be proud of who we are and to never stop defending our freedoms.

Thank you brave soldiers and defenders of our country!

xoxo Brooke



-- Modified on 7/5/2003 8:59:53 PM

-- Modified on 7/5/2003 9:16:23 PM

Brooke this is one of the most beautifully written posts I have ever had the privilege of reading on any discussion board. It only needs the playing of The Battle Hymn of the Republic to underscore it while one reads it. I for one, got a lump in my throat and a tear came to my eye just reading this.

Freedom is indeed a treasure to behold, and one that has been and must be fought for. The rights and liberties we have are not to be taken lightly. The sacrifices to ensure our freedoms have been great and numerous. I for one am thankful to those who have served, in peace time or in war, for the men and women in battle abroad, for the men and women and children throughout the ages back at home keeping this country going so those brave souls to have something to come back home to.

Let Freedom Ring. God Bless America. E Pluribus Unum. His Truth IS Marching On!

Jimbomania

For reminding me what it is truly all about..sometimes you do have to stop and smell the roses....

Shaye

Yes, indeed!  Having been born and raised in a foreign country and experiencing first hand what it is like to live in another part of the world, I truly appreciate this country and for what we believe in and stand for.  Despite its shortcomings and downfalls, there is still NO other country like this.  May we never take for granted the freedom and liberties that we enjoy in this country.

Very poignant and touching.

But if I may interject one thought here it would be that it would be unfortunate IF -hypothetically- the majority of our citizenry have such warm deep-felt emotions about our great country only once or twice a year, or at times of war when our lives and freedom are in jeopardy. We should all feel blessed and fortunate and thank our founding fathers EVERY single day of the year.

And far be it for me to be politically correct and "inclusive", but I feel beholden to add that we have a special kinship for our British brothers and sisters (many of whom are on TER). They are our truest friends and closest allies who stood by us at a time of international crisis and great global uncertainty. America certainly has many great allies, not just the Brits, and in some respect this day of celebration is for all independent democracies in this world.

P.I.

...appreciate hearing from a foreign-born American feeling this way.  We always hear about how foreigners ridicule us, or worse, despise us for what we are.  It makes me wonder why we strive so hard to help others.  Thank you, Singer!  And hope you had a Happy 4th.

F.

Well said Singer, and great to hear from an emigrant to America.

We all gotta remember too, and this is rarely ever discussed anywhere. When people criticize us and beat us down, whether they be natives or foreigners, we must remember that yes, we have our shortcomings and our share of problems in this great nation ... but do we stop to think that America is STILL a work in progress?

Breaking from a Mother country had NEVER been done before in the history of the world. Until those brave men in Philadelphia made the stand and declared freedom for the colonies that hot and oh so humid summer in 1776. And don't forget their wives and children at home, the sacrifices they made as well. Going without their fathers and husbands for so long, uncertain of his return and most unclear about their future as a family in what they hoped would be a new nation.

Travel overseas to places like Rome, Jerusalem, England, Egypt, China ... you'll find structures and ways of life that are thousands of years old. The United States of America just turned 227. Barely teenagers in the grand scheme of the timeline of history. So those problems we have? Merely pimples, that hopefully with peace and leadership and a holding to those core values that those men in Philadelphia believed in so strongly will one day be nothing but an unseen blemish on the face of time.

For a country of a youthful 227 years old, I'd say we're doing pretty damn good.

Jimbomania

describe to my US borne friends how I felt when I pledged my allegiance to this country during my citizenship swore in.  Even though that was several years ago, I still kept the little flag I got that day in a safe place.

In the morning of Sept 12, 2001, on the way to work, I printed out 2 small US flags and taped them on my windshield and the back window.  I still remembered the thumb up I got from an old lady in the gas station when she noticed the flag.  Only recently after the end of the major conflict in Iraq, did I take off the sun bleached paper flag (the other one was destroyed in a car wash).

I read that it takes a newcomer 3 years to learn to love living in Los Angeles.  It took me 5 years to invest emotionally in this country and learn to love the freedom I got alongside its pitfalls.

This is indeed the greatest country in the world and JMHO, the generous country in human history.  Not to mention the absolutely amazing ladies I met in this hobby.  I am indeed blessed.