Don't forget why we celebrate

4:30 PM, Jul. 1, 2014  |  Comments
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It would be easy to look at July 4, 2014 as another long weekend away from work or a great chance to gather with friends and family in the heart of summer.

While there's nothing wrong with that per se, it's that Independence Day is so much more than a day off.

Independence Day in the United States commemorates the day the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress and was spurred by a letter written by John Adams to his wife, Abigail.


Adams actually was referring to July 2, which was the day the Congress voted in favor of a resolution of independence from Great Britain, but Americans always have celebrated their independence on July 4.

Friday is a day of national pride. Regardless of our ideology, it's easy to come together on July 4 to celebrate the freedoms we enjoy ... with parades, concerts, fireworks and picnics. Issues divide us. The Fourth of July is meant to unify us, even if for a short time.

The Declaration of Independence includes not only a list of grievances against the king and British government, but adds a formal announcement that the colonies were formally leaving England and includes the basic rights that all should have. It's impact on countries across the world is indelible.

Now, 238 years later, we celebrate the birth of a nation. In Ohio and across the country, illuminations - commonly known as fireworks - will burst upon the night sky, barbecues and picnics will take place, and parades and baseball games will be part of the fun we enjoy. Adams would be proud of the way we celebrate this day.

The celebrations are guided by the freedom we hold dear. We're also thankful for those who have fought, worked and even died to protect those freedoms.

We still find value in the words, written by Thomas Jefferson for the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

And, so as we gather with friends and family this July 4, let's do so with a nod to the document that launched a nation, changed the world and made history.

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