July 4th vs. Independence Day

How did I spend my Independence Day? My boyfriend and I attended the party of our friends, where we played board games and card games for hours. No grilling, no fireworks, no American flags. So what made it Independence Day? Independence from work? from the daily grind? from dealing with people we don't like?

Grilling and fireworks and American flags are now synonymous with celebrating the 4th of July. Obviously none of these things actually relate to the original holiday. Does anyone reflect now upon what the meaning is? In a nutshell: freedom from persecution, whether religious, financial, social, or otherwise.

Now, in the age of global terrorism, it should also be about freedom from fear. Freedom from reliance upon Arab oil supplies. Freedom from nuclear weapons, both ours and theirs. Instead we are still being persecuted -- only the oppressors have changed. Freedom -- complete, total freedom -- is only a myth. There will always be someone or something persecuting America and her citizens.

With all that in mind, and a wry smile on my face, hope you had a happy Independence Day!