Defining Freedom

Ability to act freely.

The absence of constraint.

Independence.

"All men are created equal..."

Freedom of speech.
  
Rights.


Public expressions of faith.

Worship without fear.

It seems to me the thing all these freedoms I have and take and use and, yes, I want have in common is I haven't done anything to earn any of them. 

Others have done it for me. 

Without knowing me. 

Soldiers. Families. Sacrificed. Fought. Died.  
Without knowing me people worked. People worked and wrote laws and lived up to a belief and gave everything they had for it.

Fathers worked. Mothers wept. Children waited. People lost. 

Lost a lot. For this freedom I celebrate in this place I call America.

And it is amazing to me. And I'm grateful. To all sorts of people I never knew. 

And never will.

And soldiers and the people did it. For America.