What does freedom mean?  According to Dictionary:

Freedom / ‘frēdəm / (noun)

• The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint
• The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved

We are so fortunate in the United States to live in a country where we have so much freedom and freedom of choice:

• We are free to live where we want
• Worship how we want
• Love who we want
• Go to school where we want
• Serve how we want
• Use our voice, share our ideas about what’s important to us
• Freedom to own a business or work where we want
• Freedom to stand for a cause
• Vote for what/who we want
• Raise our children in our unique ways with the values we feel are important
• ….and so much more

Freedom comes with a price.  The freedom and independence we have today is because someone was willing to make a stand for truth and justice.  A committed group of individuals rallied together in spite of differences to fight for what they felt was important.   Many men and women gave up their lives so that we could have what we have today.   And… men and women are still fighting to protect and defend what we have today.

I believe that with the freedom we have, we also have a responsibility in HOW we live in our freedom.  Our voice is powerful; it can build others (and ourselves) up or tear them down. We are all unique, different, have different values, beliefs, rules, views.  We all have a desire somewhere inside of us to be seen, to be heard, and to be valued.

As we celebrate Independence Day today, may you stand boldly for what’s important to you, and still have empathy and seek to understand where someone else is coming from if they have different views than you.

What would happen if you were willing to link arms with the people around you, standing in your truth, using your strengths and talents, yet allowing the person on your left and right to stand in their truth, support them in their dreams, ideas, and brilliance?  Freedom isn’t making others wrong, pointing fingers, and blaming.  It is a release from captivity, confinement, slavery.  We ALL want to be set free from our own captivity, confinement and slavery!

Today… let freedom ring!

Stand in your truth…

Seek to understand others…

Love, forgive, let go…

Celebrate the life you have!