CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF AN IDEAL

"It is a strenous thing, this living the life of a free people."

George Washington

Many people look forward to Independence Day for the same reasons they anticipate any national holiday. For some, it's a welcome mid-week respite from the rigors of work. For others the holiday offers a chance to gather with family and enjoy the company of friends.

And yet at some point during Tuesday's holiday -- it might be a patriotic song heard on the radio, an American flag seen unfurled in a warm breeze or the thunder of fireworks exploding overhead -- most people will be prompted to consider the true reason for the holiday.

We continue to celebrate the birth of our nation not because that day 219 years ago is especially sacred. After all, there have been other dates that guaranteed the survival of what in 1776 was merely a rag-tag collection of rebel states. V-E and V-J days, which observe the allied victories in Europe and Japan 50 years ago, and the Day of Rejoicing, after the end of the Civil War, come quickly to mind.

Rather we celebrate Independence Day because it was as much the birth of an idea as it was the birth of a nation.

The idea was freedom, a notion thought so radical and reckless when documented in this nation's Declaration of Independence that many thought it was doomed to failure. But liberty continues to stir nations, and democracy birthed two centuries ago is reaching areas of the world never imagined.

It once was fashionable to deride displays of patriotism based on failures of our nation's government to address societal and moral crises. But such criticism is misguided. For beyond celebrating America -- its successes and failures -- on Independence Day, we celebrate American ideals, which never fail to inspire hope, pride and a desire to press on in the face of setbacks.

The only way to undermine those ideals is to dodge freedom's incumbent responsibility. As our nation's first president said freedom is a strenuous thing to maintain. It is never free. The thousands who have died on battlefields since this nation celebrated its first Independence Day is a great price indeed.

But many people today find the ardors of living free too strenuous. They opt instead for struture and security, which can result in vicious tyranny. Others choose instead the chaotic and self-destructive lifestyle of hedonism.

Freedom and responsibility must be taken seriously. If not, our nation risks losing the ideals that enable us to take pride in the deeper meaning of Independence Day. On Tuesday, we all should take stock of the personal freedoms we enjoy, honoring those who have contributed to their preservation. Then we should utter a prayer of thanks for God's grace, and ask Him how we can better fulfill freedom's obligations.