Independence

I have wonderful childhood memories of Fourth of July celebrations.  As a kid in a military family I was privileged to hear patriot music expertly performed by musicians and singers in uniform every year.  I remember stretching long on a blanket for picnics with cold watermelon on soft grassy hills.  The celebration always ended with fireworks exploding our emotions in bright blasts in the dark night sky.  I was offered a sensory opportunity each year to feel the pride of being an American.  Today I am thinking of what is beneath that emotion, independence.

Dictionary.com lists the following meanings for independence.

1.  the state or quality of being independent

2.  freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others 

I am struck by the final paragraph from the Declaration of Independence found at the U.S. National Archives & Record Administration site.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Independence is neither easy to come by nor inexpensive.  There is always sacrifice and often growing pains in the path to independence.  This can be said for a young group of united colonies striving to be a free nation or a young person striving to become an adult.  Not only do we remove ourselves from control of outside authority but often from their aid and support as well.  But what a gift it is to have control over oneself, one’s future, one’s livelihood. 

One thing I love about the bravery and assertions of the U.S. Declaration of Independence is that the culminating sentence acknowledges how essential we all are to the success of the country.  A mutual pledge offered to each other of Lives, Fortunes, and scared Honor is the binding force for success of our nation.