To my brothers and sisters who call the United States “home”.

As we approach, quickly, another “4th of July Holiday”, I would like to challenge us (me, too) to do four things…
  1. PURPOSEFULLY refer to it as “Independence Day”, not just “4th of July”.
  2. Take time to actually READ the Declaration of Independence. Slowly. Thoughtfully.
  3. When you see Old Glory, salute her. (Even if you don’t do it outwardly, visibly – do it in your heart.)
  4. When you see a uniformed service member, or an “old guy” wearing his WWII baseball cap, muster up a little bit of courage to walk over and say “Thank you for serving our Country”.
I have made a habit of doing the “Thank you for serving our Country” for probably the past 12 or 15 years. I have NEVER had anybody look annoyed, I have sometimes seen tears, I have frequently seen that “blank look” that you get when you just don’t know how to respond.

On one occasion, I was in a restaurant, and it appeared that “an old guy” wearing a USN cap was having a birthday party with his family – grandkids, probably a son or daughter and spouse… and as I was leaving the restaurant, I put my hand on his shoulder and bent over and simply said “Thank you for your service to our Country”. It was intended to be a “comment in passing, but he put his hand on my hand, which was on his shoulder, and held tight, and the tears welled up in his eyes, and he wouldn’t let go. He swallowed a couple times, and said “I’ve heard of people doing that, but this is the first time anybody has said this to me”.

His daughter followed me out to the car and said she had something to tell me. She said that earlier in the day, he had seen an article that said that WWII Veterans were dying at the rate of 1,000 every day. (Do the math - 1941/45 to 2009.. they won't be with us much longer) She said he had been a little depressed, and that “God must have sent you to cheer him up.” Wow – it gave me goose bumps just to think that such a simple act on my part could mean so much to an old man. What did it cost me? About 3 minutes of my time.

I told her about Honor Flight – a special program for WWII Veterans where some retired Military Pilots were doing their best to round up as many WWII Veterans and get them to Washington DC FOR FREE to see the WWII Memorial. She was thrilled, and promised to check it out. (My Dad took this trip, and they treated him like a king - flew him to DC, fed him, gave him the tour, and returned him home "same day".)

I understand that “Independence Day” is not necessarily about “Memorial Day”, but you just about can’t have one without the other.

So, please, read… REALLY read… the Declaration of Independence.

I guess I’m a patriotic old softy, but it’s much more than just a historical document. When these men gathered to state their intent, they fully realized they were risking the very act of High Treason. As they signed it, they included the phrase we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

They were “playing for keeps”. God Bless America.