Anti-Everything

A year ago today, I was a bit more patriotic, just as naive about some things, and maybe a tad bit lighter. However, I wrote this last 4th and I still believe most of it. Living in America and pursuing things such as justice, happiness, liberty, and freedom is a privilege. To live in a place where, at the cost of other's lives, I can live my own life, conform to the image that I desire, and live out my dreams is breathtaking. That's either suicide or something along the lines of complete and utter graciousness. Anyway, here are my thoughts:

Independence Day is now upon us. It's July the 4th and we're celebrating America's Independence from England. In this day and age, it’s ironic the way we celebrate. I understand that with every celebration, there is going to be a party. The irony is that a lot of people just use this day off from work as a way to get drunk, do nothing but eat, and use their money on or watching pyrotechnics. Don't get me wrong, I love to do my share of eating and I even bought some fireworks, but I think there is also a level of reverence that comes or should come along with celebrating this day. I am certainly guilty of this myself, but along with my newfound adulthood, I have come to grips with the understanding that there were and still are a lot of sacrifices for me that I have never really thought about before. In this understanding, I believe that I and everyone else should exercise a certain amount of reflection when thinking about today. There is also a level of reverence that one must or should have when celebrating the 226 years of our nation’s freedom. I would challenge everyone that today would be the day that they think about all the sacrifices that were made on their behalf. Think about all the people that died for you and me that never met us, but selflessly sacrificed their own lives for our sake and the sake of this great land. Kind of like the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us all by sacrificing his life for ours so that we may live eternally with Him and the Father in paradise. Don't take today for granted and live in vain, but live and reflect in memory for all the men and women that died for our freedoms, liberties, and for our great country.