Happy Independence Day

Today is My Country's Independence Day. Today is the day we celebrate living in the land of the free and celebrate the men and women who have sacrificed their lives making that possible. In the United States Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain. Of course the King of Great Britain was not happy about these turn of events and thus began the American revolution and the war for Independence.

The opening paragraph of the Declaration is so beautiful and moving:

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness..."

Some of my relatives sailed over from England on the Mayflower in 1620. Others sailed as poor German immigrants at the turn of the century. They sailed into Ellis Island and saw the Statue in the Harbor. They felt that thrill of knowing anything was possible in the land of opportunity. I can only imagine the hope and optimism that ran through their veins as they disembarked, and set out to start their lives afresh.

To quote Lee Greenwood, "And i'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. "cause there ain't no doubt I love this land. God Bless the U.S.A"

So Happy Birthday my dear country. God Bless the USA.