In a few minutes my family and I will head over to the local 4th of July parade. We’ll wave at the bands, the baseball teams and even shake hands with a politician or two. I’m so thankful we live in a country where we have the freedom to do so. Maybe I’m naive, but I have a request for anyone that reads this today. Just for today….

• Can we not go on Facebook/twitter and run down our President? He’s still the man the majority elected. We’ll get the chance to change things in November if we choose. Remember, we’ve got the FREEDOM to do so.
• Can we not argue about our healthcare? Can we not post hate messages and photoshopped images about it? Can we just thank the many men and women in the healthcare profession that will be there if we need them?
• Can we put aside our battle cries and thank those that literally go into battle every single day?
• Can we celebrate our independence and our freedom to use things like Facebook and twitter to say whatever we want, when we want?
• Can we not complain about the heat? There are people in deserts carrying gear that weighs more than my youngest child today. They are there to protect us. To fight for our freedom and our independence.
• Can we pause and thank those that have made a personal choice to be the man or woman that cares so much for faces they will never see and names they will never know that they will defend them at all costs.

As Zak Brown so eloquently said:

I thank God for my life

For the Stars and Stripes

May freedom forever fly

Let it ring.

Salute the ones who died

The ones who give their lives

So we don’t have to sacrifice

All the things we love….