Happy Independence Day, everyone! Believe it or not, America has been a country for 237 years! Just think of all the people who have made this place their home, all the sacrifices that have been made to preserve our nation for future generations, all the joyful and painful experiences that have made us the people we are today. This is a very special day for us to remember the importance of our American heritage and to celebrate the gifts and blessings we have received over the years.
Oftentimes what immediately comes to mind on this day is the gift of freedom so graciously given to us by our forefathers with the composition of the U.S. Constitution. Over the years the list of rights and liberties has grown, granting American citizens even more freedom.
But as wonderful as freedom is, it is of a very delicate nature. Our freedom can be abused, bring harm to others, and sometimes even harm to our country. I came across this quote by Peter Marshall that I feel is an excellent reminder to us all of what the true purpose of freedom is: "May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right."
In other words, having freedom does not mean we can do everything with abandonment, it simply means we can do everything with discretion. A quick Dictionary.com search reveals that not only are abandonment and discretion synonyms for freedom, but one of the key definitions of freedom is "the power to determine action without restraint".
I think that people too often think of freedom as a right instead of an opportunity. As wonderful as it is to have certain rights, the terminology "right" can become almost possessive and negative. People then tend to think only of themselves and their needs, rather then what would be best for those they are in relationship with. If we started to think of our freedom as Americans as an opportunity to do good, just think of what we could accomplish!
As we celebrate all that our country has accomplished, let us also look to the future and the ways in which we can use our freedom to do what is right.
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