Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Birthday, America

It’s hard to believe that it has been 37 years since America had its 200th birthday, but this 4th of July, America will be 237 years old.  The experiment in democracy that is America is still working and every year we learn how challenging it is to be a “good citizen” in a country that expects much of its people.  When America was born, character defined leaders.  The emphasis was on doing right, being principle-centered, and giving back to the country which had given so much to you. 

When you visit Mt. Vernon (home of George Washington) and Monticello (home of Thomas Jefferson), you get a sense of the men who willingly risked it all to make this country a reality.  Washington was not interested in being another King George, he was interested in getting the country started and then returning to his home in Mount Vernon and tending to his land.  Jefferson was not only the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, he was an inventor, a scientist, a farmer who donated his tremendous library to the Library of Congress to “jump start” its collection.  These were humble men in many ways, yet able to lead because of the principle-centered roots they planted to provide them a foundation to dream the “impossible dream”. 

In Kennedy’s inaugural he stated, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”  So the question is this—“What can you and I do for our country?”  It seems clear to me that as
Americans we need to seriously consider this question so we can ensure that America celebrates its 300th birthday, 63 years from now. 
What are some of the things that you are doing to support our country?  Share your activities with us. 

















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