Because Freedom Isn't Free

It is the season of parades, fireworks, family picnic, a three-day weekend and great sales for local merchants. And what is the reason for the season? Oh yes, it is the 4th of July.

I’ll bet that your family, like my family, made the priority to gather and feast and celebrate. But what will we celebrate, besides being together? Did we take the time to remind our children and grandchildren of the great inspired founding fathers struggle to birth this nation of freedoms they so much wanted and that we may take so much for granted? Did we remind them of our love and loyalty to our great nation. Did we build their understanding of the heavy price our ancestors paid and that our military continue to pay for the luxury for us to sleep at night unafraid and safe. In our celebrating, did we enumerate and celebrate each of the grand freedoms of the the bill of rights? Did we celebrate and build upon their understanding of their national heritage? Did we remember and celebrate the reason for the season?

As I sat with my children and grandchildren around the campfire and sang the songs of patriotism and freedom, I remembered. As we expressed our love of country and prayed for the the safety and welfare of those who are not with their families this 4th of July, I was reminded. We, Heritage Makers, have a grand and important role to play in preserving our nation’s heritage – one family at a time, starting with our own. With so much media focus on what is wrong with government, I wonder if we see in the mirror of reality that what is wrong with America is centered in the homes of Americans, not in the seat of government. I fear that parents grumping and lack of grateful comment on being an American largely has caused the loss of the strength of our country – the faith and commitment of its citizens. It is so easy to place the blame on politicians for fading freedoms, that we forget who put them there and sustains them, or not. Do our children know how we feel about our country? What do they know? The answer is what they hear us say day-to-day and what we share with them heart–to-heart, and bedtime story-to-story.

What storybook have we written and read to our children and grandchildren that defines what it means to be an American, or Canadian? Have we done enough to celebrate the sacrifices of service of our grandparents and great grandparents in the military and wars of the past and of fathers, brothers, uncles, friends and countrymen who serve now?

Do we realize the power, the priority and the principle of our national heritage? And do we realize the price we will pay if we fail to remember and build a national heritage within the weave of our family heritage? We must realize and remember--that which we fail to remember and to celebrate--soon fades. Freedom without celebration is patriotism lost. Children without celebration of national heritage are patriots lost.

This is a year of deciding and setting the stage for so much serious consequence for our future, Americans and Canadians - families. No, I am not referring to the coming political jostling and rhetoric we will be bombarded with over the next several months. I am referring to this being the year that all heritage makers place their votes for the freedom and the national heritage in the voting box of the minds of our children.

We can campaign and vote for freedom with storybooks and celebrations that focus our children and families on the principles and the values that make our families and our nation great. Let us teach them, with the tremendous power of our stories, about the real strength of a, our nation. Lets teach them the principles of freedom and the responsibilities of free men and women. Let teach them throughout the remainder of the election process as it sets the stage for meaningful conversations and family discussions about why we support who we support and about why and how we vote for the candidates whom we feel will best represent our principles and freedoms.

Please, let's be freedom makers, as well as heritage makers. Perhaps we should begin by considering that it is one of our greatest freedoms to be able to be heritage makers. Let us not forget, that we might not lose by neglect or apathy. Rather, let's become known for the contribution we are to freedom, patriotism and strong families who carry the pledge and the flag proudly and responsibly and who have effectively integrated nation and family heritage.

Onward and upward.

Love,
Doug