50+ Lifestyles

Freedom is Not Free

By Mary Schricker Gemberling

“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.”………Franklin D. Roosevelt

I have fond childhood memories of spending on the 4rth of July with my family. My dad loved to barbecue so he would fire up the grill on our patio and usually cook enough chicken and ribs to feed the four of us the rest of the week. Shortly before dusk, we would all head to the fireworks display put on by the city of Overland (the suburb in St. Louis where we lived). In the ensuing years, Independence Day celebrations have been marked by the comradery of family or friends, plenty of food, some sparklers in the backyard, and a public display or two of fireworks on a much grander scale. This year along with Americans across our country, Gary and I will celebrate the holiday with parades, outdoor gatherings with family or friends, and firework displays much more sophisticated than those of my youth.

Known as the Fourth of July or Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies fighting in the revolutionary struggle presented a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence.

But the spirit of Independence Day is not only about the United States officially becoming a country. It’s about celebrating the values upon which the country was founded. The Declaration of Independence was written with the theory that every person has inherent rights, called “self-evident truths” in the official document. It reads: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

On June 6th of this year, we celebrated the 75th Anniversary of D-Day when American, British, and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of France’s Normandy region and successfully turned the tide against the Nazis. Some of the survivors of that mission, most aged ninety or beyond, have recently shared their stories of that day when tens of thousands of people risked their lives to save democracy for the world. They expressed a sense of urgency to tell their stories so that the young people today know that the great life they are now living marked by peace and tranquility was paid for by the sacrifices of thousands of men and women. Their sentiments are shared by those heroic individuals who have fought in the many wars and skirmishes since. From the farmer-soldier of the American Revolution to the highly trained and equipped troops currently deployed, men and women have come from widely divergent backgrounds to fight for the United States. Some enlisted; others were drafted. Some were motivated by the love of country; others had far different reasons for serving. But make no mistake, their common bond has been and always will be the protection of our freedoms. The parents, spouses, loved ones and orphaned children know only too well that “freedom is
not free.”

And now we have a duty to educate present and future generations about the sacrifices made. I ask you this year to take time from your festivities and think about those who have made your independence possible. Take a moment to teach a child the true meaning of the holiday. Thank a veteran for their service. And above all say a prayer for the safe return of those who continue to fight for our freedoms.

Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of three books: The West End Kid, Labor of Love, and Hotel Blackhawk; A Century of Elegance.