Happy 4th of July!

It's a bit late but we'd like to wish you a Happy 4th! I may not be big on the flag waving but I am amazingly GRATEFUL to live in this wonderful nation. I cannot imagine a greater gift than life itself and to be loved than we have living in the United States of America. It's not perfect and we have challenges but it's a pretty amazing place and I feel so blessed this is our country.

We have the most amazing opportunities just being born here. It's easy to forget how much we have because it's all so close at hand. We can walk the streets and live in our homes with relative safety. We have food, plenty of clean running water, electricity 24 hours a day, the ability to criticize our government and its policies, the ability to elect our government, the freedom to worship or not as we choose to name just a few.

We have challenges to meet as a society. Being aware of the suffering and imperfection around us is important as is working to create a just and nurturing community for ourselves, our families and our neighbors. It's part of our responsibility as citizens. Indeed it is a privilege to choose our own path. So, to our founding mothers and fathers and the generations to follow us, thank you for creating this nation. May we continue to live up to the ideals you set forth. Ideals which have not always been achieved even in the days of the revolution and the writing of the constitution. Still generations before us have strived to uphold them. Though our actions may at times be imperfect, that which we pursue is honorable.

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.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

The power of these words echoes still and genuinely stirs my heart. Imagine the courage to write them and read them in public. Amazing.