Happy Birthday, America!

Happy 4th of July!   Today we celebrate our freedoms as stated in the Declaration of Independence and the birth of this great nation we live in. I also get to proudly wear my favorite t-shirt as featured in the picture above. Last year, I wrote extensively on the actual document, so there is no need to do that again. But I couldn’t let the day go by without saying Happy Birthday, America!

In the last two days, I have read through hundreds of quotes on freedom hoping to find just the right one. I wanted it to be personal and resonate with me.  The quote that I kept going back to was …  

I am no bird: and no net ensnares me; I am a free human being, with an independent will: which I now exert to leave you. 

Charlotte Bronte

Free to be me; think and feel my own thoughts, as are you.

We all have opinions and prioritize differently as to what is most important for America, but we are a melting pot and that is what we pride ourselves on. The pot is filled with all kinds of flowers that continue to grow and blend with more variety and colors making the bouquet even more beautiful! That’s how I see it.

Whatever your thoughts, I only hope you do it with love in your hearts for all human beings.  If we acted with kindness, acceptance, and true equality for all, I know this country can be even more amazing!    

I am proud to be made in America, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy with the way we grew and expanded.   As my friend said to me at lunch this week, “we can’t rewrite history.” 

She is right! There is no going back, but moving forward, we can live up to what the Declaration of Independence actually states; live by the original premise, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

My hope is that we can grow and evolve together as one nation with a people that have each other’s backs. xoxo

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Just in case you didn’t get to see fireworks around you, I thought I would share a few minutes of the ones we saw.

Happy Birthday, America! God Bless us all, everyone.

Sandy