Remembering Those Who Give Us a Reason to Celebrate the 4th of July

Like so many others the 4^th Of July has always been a time of celebration and fun for me. Growing up I never looked at it as more than a day for picnics, parades swimming and fireworks. I knew that I was supposed to be respectful during the 4^th Of July parade when the flag passed and show respect to the men in the VFW and American Legion uniforms but I never quite understood why.

Many years later, I have a child of own and I know the significance of the flag that passes me during the parade and the men that carry come rain or shine. I know that the 4^th Of July means much more than simply the celebration and that the celebration comes with a very hefty price. My daughter knows the price all too well as her father missed a year of her life so we could celebrate the 4^th Of July as a free people. She understands the significance of a uniform and the men and women who wear them. She knows she lives in a free country because children just as herself watched their father or mother go off to war and she knows not all are as lucky as she has been because some parents don't make it back.

The 4^th Of July is not just another long weekend or an excuse to have a family get together instead it is about the flag that all too often flies at half staff in honor of those who willingly gave their lives so she could fly high and proud not only on the 4^th Of July but every single day. It's about the mother who was the Grand Marshall in our home town parade mourning the loss of her Marine son, it's about the Vietnam Veteran's who came home to be treated like dirt to so many who still stand proud to be American and it about all of the men and women who are too far from home on the 4^th Of July to watch any kind of fireworks from a safe distance to ensure that we are able to sit in our backyards, along the streets and in the town squares to celebrate the birth of a nation that has been divided for all to long.

On this 4^th Of July when you line your streets to watch the parade, I can only hope that for just a moment you remember to stop whatever you are doing as the flag and your hometown veteran's pass to give them the respect they do richly deserve but if you don't take that moment, I pray you remember to be grateful for that right. As on this day of celebration or any other day in America you are not required to show respect to either her flag or her veteran's because you live in a country that gives you the freedom to make your own choice and if you choose to ignore or even show disrespect you have that right by law to do as you wish.

As for me: I will stop what I am doing to honor my flag and my veteran's and remember that with the freedom that I so richly enjoy everyday of the years comes a price. Some may ask if the price is truly worth the loss but my answer comes in the face of the Veteran who can barely walk yet stands tall and never misses a step as he carries a flag that will leave his muscles aching and his body tired at the end of the day. In that mans face, I never miss the pride, honor and genuine love for his country. Remember these men and women this 4th Of July and honor them by enjoying and appreciating every precious moment of your freedom every day of the year.