Hello all:
I have been having a few thoughts lately about Independence Day and what independence means to me, so please forgive me a few moments of "stream of consciousness" thought.
I was watching the ending of "Saving Private Ryan" the other night. As Capt. Miller is dying (Tom Hanks' character), he says to Ryan (who I believe is Matt Damon!), "Earn this!" In other words, he wants Ryan to show his worthiness to have other men die on his behalf to get him safely home. At the end of the movie, a much older Ryan says to Miller's tombstone, "Everyday I've remembered what you've said, and I've tried to live a life worthy of the sacrifice." Ryan then turns to his wife and begs her, "Tell me I've had a good life. Tell me I've been a good husband, a good father." The amount of pressure that fellow felt was due to the fact that other men had literally laid down their lives so that he could continue living his life of freedom. What a weight to carry! What pressure!
I watched "The Longest Day" today, and as I saw the many depictions of soldiers giving their all on the beaches and battlefields of France, I felt a bit of Ryan's pressure. I mean, my uncles and other relatives fought in that and other wars. Some of them lost body parts, some lost their lives. I can almost hear them whispering through history to me, "Earn this! Be worthy of our sacrifice."
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Hancock and a host of other heroes gave their possessions and in many cases their lives or their children's lives to give birth to a free nation.
I don't know if I can be worthy. You see, freedom comes at a heavy price. Not only that, it bears a heavy responsibility. I cannot rightfully expect liberty and freedom for myself that I do not wish for others. Nor can I expect to keep whatever liberty I have without some struggle and responsibility on my part to "earn it" by my own personal sacrifice and struggle.
Freedom isn't easy, it doesn't come cheap.
Those of us blessed to be born in this democratic republic called the United States of America sometimes forget the heavy price paid by lots of people for us to have our "freedoms" and our "rights." Martin Luther King, Jr., Sgt. York, the Founding Fathers, the men and women of our armed services since 1776--these and countless others have bled and died for me to have the "right" to be free. It is humbling, it is heavy. I'm not worthy.
Freedom isn't free. Yes, it is trite and a cliche, but that doesn't change the truth value of the statement. We owe a debt to those who died to secure our freedoms. We owe a debt to those who serve to keep our freedoms. We must "earn this" glorious right to freedom and liberty. Will we? Like Private Ryan, will we look back and ask, "Did I do good? Did I earn it?"
I hope I can. I know I want to be worthy. God help us to secure liberty on this earth. God help us to do it with dignity, nobility, honor, and integrity. God help us to be worthy.
Go today and read the Declaration of Independence at http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/charters/declaration_transcript.html. Watch an old movie about the fight for freedom. Remind yourself of the debt of gratitude you owe.
Happy Independence Day!
Thanks for reading!
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