For the last 240 years, "We the People" have been very privileged to live in the most beautiful and fruitful of lands. A land where we are now able to successfully achieve life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. However, it was not always like this, like your awkward teenage years, America experienced her fair share of ups

and downs.

It is the hard times we go through that make us who we are, that shape us into the people we want to be and know we should be. For the last two hundred forty years, America has been evolving and shaping itself, along with help from "We the People" and other outside influences, into the country we have today. I am personally guilty of forgetting just how lucky I am to be an American. Until I sat down and began prepping for this article, I had taken most of my liberties for granted. So today, in honor of America turning the big 2-4-0, I would like to highlight a couple of ideas I have been chewing on.

July 4, 1776, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Continental Congress and declared the United States of America free of Great Britain, and the king's rule. I'd say that's something to be thankful for, right? What about your rights and freedoms as an American? We have come a long way since the days of the Birmingham demonstration in the 60's. We have tried to continue making progress into a country where everyone is an equal, even if you think that is not true. If you were to take a look around the world at some of the other countries, you will see that there are many who are very much still oppressed. Belarus, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad, Cuba, China, North Korea all of these places are at the top of the list for having the least amount of freedoms and strongest government oppression.

So lets just imagine, if you can, none of this....

or this.....

or this....

also, sorry ladies, but none of this either...

or this guy's Freedom BBQ's...

We take a lot for granted here in the United States and it seems like it has only gotten worse over these past couple of years. Everyone wants a handout, no one wants to work hard for anything, and somehow now everyone is entitled to everything. I am willing to bet that everyone has or had a grandparent who told them a, "back in my day" story that we took as a grain of salt and quickly forgot, but I guarantee you that it was a story about hard times, hard work, and being dedicated to and compassionate about the work they were performing. It wasn't that long ago that most of the country looked like this:

So enjoy your freedoms, rights, liberties, religions, beer, clean water, food, families, home, pets, cars, clothes, music, movies, books, the beach, bikinis, education, job, football, baseball, apple pie, moonshine, voting privilege and government (as bad as it may seem at the moment). If you want to make a change, then it's your right as an AMERICAN to get up and go do it, no one can stop you. Be grateful for the things you have around you, the people that love you and care about you, and the fact that you are able to do and accomplish so many things that people in other countries may not have even heard of, all because you live in the greatest country in the world.

Last, but not least, while your out this fourth of July, do not forget to thank your forefathers and soldiers for hooking you and yours up with this tremendous honor to be an AMERICAN. A lot of people in this world would die for the opportunity, and a lot of military men and woman have died to give you this opportunity. Let us not forget those who have unselfishly given their lives without asking to protect all of our freedoms we have. I would say that I am most thankful for the men and woman who serve our country.

Thank you to all who serve to protect me and my friends and family!

ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES AND PARTY LIKE IT'S 1776!!