Happy 4th of July!! I am proudly patriotic. So, is my husband – it is one of the things that I love so much about him. He had our flag flying yesterday. We are both military brats and we both have seen enough of the United States to know that it is a beautiful, beautiful country filled with vibrant, diverse, good people. Sure, we have our differences and our divides, but in the end, we come together to form one of the most dynamic, awe-inspiring, freedom loving, generous, productive nations, history has ever known.
I live in Florida, by the beach. I was just out in Montana, hiking and attending rodeos. Our states’ terrains could not be more different (mountains and rocks versus swamp lands and sand), our style of dress is entirely different (cowboy boots versus flip-flops) our scary animals are unique to our each of our states, but equally as ominous (bears versus alligators), and even our life pace were two different things. (slow and easy, versus crowded and high-charged) Yet, we are all fellow Americans. We all lay claim to the beauty and abundance and unique attributes that both states provide for us all. And that goes for every magnificent state in this great nation. We share a bountiful, breathtakingly beautiful land, filled with generous, creative, individualistic humans and we have created a country – a structure, that supports that generosity, creativity and rugged individualism. I am so grateful to be an American.
Enjoy the fireworks tonight, friends! Try not to tear up when Whitney Houston’s unbeatable rendition of our national anthem is played. Know that even in times of turmoil, frustration and strife, our country stands strong. Our country is great. Our country is a precious gift that deserves our grateful acknowledgment for all that it bestows.