It’s summertime in the United States of America. People all across America are sporting their favorite red, white and blue apparel. You can find clothing, cozies, coolers, lawn chairs, yard decorations and pretty much anything coated in stripes and stars during this wonderful time of year. From coast to coast, Americans kick back in their lawn chairs, crack open a Bud Light, watch the local parade or firework show and might proudly boast, “Murica!” Freedom is definitely a cause worth celebrating. However, it is important to understand the meaning of the season. While physically showing spirit for your country is mighty fine, it can be easy to fall into the Hallmark holiday trap. Celebrating the Sweet Land of Liberty is more meaningful when you start living out your patriotism.
1. Learn our history
The story of the American founding is inspiring, captivating, trivial and brilliant. If it weren’t there wouldn’t be thousands of books and movies based on the exhilarating, true story of the making of this nation. If you are into action, adventure, drama, romance, money, politics, sports or like stories about underdogs than you have to look no further than American history to be entertained. Most importantly, knowing where our roots came from will help build a better future. History can repeat itself if you don’t choose to learn from the past.
2. Meet the armed forces, police and public service veterans and support the active duty members.
These people are literally putting their life on the line for you to be able to wake up, go about your day and go to sleep every night without worry. They are full of humbling stories that will allow you to see freedom from the perspective of someone who has fought for it. They work and fight to protect the person around them which in turn, protects us here at home. Would you do that for your friends, family and millions of people you have never met?
3. Be active in your community
America was designed so that communities can take care of themselves. The national election might get a bunch of hype on the media; however, your local government has a greater day-to-day impact on you than the federal government does. This is a positive attribute to our country’s structure because it gives a community the power to do what is best for the people they know best. It is easier to know the needs and the ideas of a friend down the street than a federal government bureau hundreds of miles away that has never walked in your shoes. Therefore, go to your community’s festivities, shop local, don’t ignore county elections, join an association or local group, and give back by helping your neighbor or the co-worker next to you in the office.
4. Plan your dreams and don't be afraid of failure
You hear people saying that the American Dream has become something of the past and is no longer relevant in today’s society. That is not true and a statement stemming from a fallacy. For one, no one is the same nor has the same dream. Some people want a house with a white picket fence, some want a studio apartment, some want a house out in the woods and all of these options are great if it makes the individual happy. They key is to realize that this country has a multitude of roads that you can choose to travel on. However, it will not come to you. You have to work for it and accept that you will probably hit a few bumps in the road along the way. Nevertheless, you have to keep going and remind yourself that stormy waters do eventually calm and they’ll just make you a wiser sailor in the end. People who go for what they want in life are brave and know temporary discomfort is worth it in the end. This sounds like a story we have all heard before, the story of the United States of America. God Bless America and your wildest, craziest dreams!
