Happy Independence Day!
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The 4th of July was often such an innocent thing for me as a kid with the carnival and the fireworks and the cotton candy in my small town, but as I've grown older and studied some of the nation's history, I find it a more reverent occasion.
Rather than just sit back and enjoy the revelry, my mind often wanders to my grandfather and my uncle and the sacrifices they made in the name of freedom to ensure the U.S. and other countries remained free from tyranny. I miss my grandfather and his ability to move beyond those dark days in WWII, and his love of life -- embracing it full on, though not without grumbling from time to time.
It is in times like the ones we are in now where our own government spies on our activities -- though I am not as naive to think that they have never done so before -- that I feel we take our freedoms for granted.
However, with my little girl nearing school age, I find that I want to spend quiet moments and enjoy her experiences -- things that are all new to her, those are the moments of wonder and joy that we sometimes miss out on when we're hustling to and from work, etc. So take time to spend with family and enjoy those moments before they disappear once again into the background.
Happy Independence Day to you all!