Happy 4th of July (tomorrow)!

 

We are truly blessed in this country with incredible freedoms.  Unfortunately, we often take those freedoms or granted; We should not.  These freedoms are not found in many countries.  What we do with these freedoms make us who we are… 

• The freedom to live, love and laugh
• The freedom to work hard and succeed
• The freedom to challenge ourselves mentally and physically
• The freedom to fail, and to recover
• The freedom to approach each day with a smile
• The freedom to make choices, some wise, some not
• The freedom to educate ourselves
• The freedom to worship freely
• The freedom to make mistakes and learn from them
• The freedom to honor and support those who protect these freedoms

…and those who lost their lives doing so

• The freedom to positively impact the lives of others
• The freedom to tell those that we love that we do!

 What are you doing with your freedoms?

Thanksgiving 2020 in Perspective

Here we are headed into another major holiday still under the “wet blanket feeling” of the pandemic. This holiday, and Christmas soon to follow, will certainly look and feel different.    We may not be able spend time with loved ones like normal, nor will we have the excitement of public gatherings that we enjoy during the holiday season. We might be  lonely or feeling depressed. Possibly we are frustrated and overwhelmed. Whatever the case, it will be a different and potentially challenging holiday season.

As tough as things may seem, let’s keep things in perspective.  We are still blessed.   If you woke up this morning in good health with a roof over your head, you should be thankful.  If you and your family know you will  have three meals today, be grateful.  If you have the ability to see and read this message, don’t take that for granted.  If you have family and friends who love you, even though you might not get to hug them this Thursday, you are blessed.  If you have all of these things you are in a very small percentage of the world from a wealth and comfort perspective.  We may not get the holidays that we are used to, but we are blessed and should remain grateful for the things we have. Consider the real meaning of Thanksgiving and maintain perspective.  Happy Thanksgiving