The Best 4th of July

This is an update and a rewrite of a post I wrote in July 201 Called The Best Place for Fourth of July.

There will be a lot of debate about where the best Fourth of July Celebration will be this year and who has the best fireworks and/or parade.

I thought about a very special 4th of July weekend I had about 12 or 13 years ago. I had gone on a camping trip by myself that Fourth of July weekend.  On the morning of July 4th I started home. As I was winding through a small narrow mountain road I came through one of the isolated mountain communities and had to pull off the highway for a parade.

The parade might seem hokey compared to the big going ons in Washington DC, but it was nice. They had the fire truck, the local marching band, a few homemade floats, some kids on sports teams marching, some people in costumes, and some classic cars. More people may have been in the parade than watching it. The flags were held high and it seemed everyone had one. That day the parade cheered me up and when I got back on my way with tears in my eyes.

This weekend the real big 4th of July celebration will be in small towns and backyards. It will be at BBQ's and picnics, at the homes of friends and family, at campgrounds and sporting events. It will be where we teach our children about how great this country is and the history of this country. It will be in churches when we give thanks, it will be in our thanks to those that have given their life at the alter of liberty for this country.

Although times are tough and many of us are concerned about the direction of this nation, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, I believe America's best days are yet to come. I know that around the world there a people that understand the greatness of America and to them we are still the shinning city on the hill, the 4th of July is for those people too.

Right now our country is in trouble.  However, the ideas and principals on which it was founded are more valid than ever.  Those ideas of Liberty and Freedom are even more profound when contrasted with the alternatives being pushed upon us.  The real strength of America cannot be crushed or destroyed as it is in the hearts and minds of Freedom Loving People. 

God Bless America and have a great 4th of July Celebration.