July 4

In our morning walk Nancy and I talked about our July 4 memories. In our 'growing up years', July 4 for Nancy had much to do with activities at the Marissa Rec Area, including fishing, swimming, family gatherings, neighborhood brunches, golf, and fireworks on the lake dam. For me the Fourth of July had much to do with baling straw and hay, cultivating crops, milking cows, taking care of chores, watching fireworks at the Marissa Rec Area, and, sometimes, the treat of an ice cream cone at the local Creme Freeze. Both of us recalled the joy and wonder of fireworks shows that, by today's standards, were fairly tame, yet for us were simply breathtaking, and both of us also reminiscenced about the patriotism which abounded around us.

Folks always seemed to 'know' the reason for the day of celebration and understood, even revered, its significance. There always seemed to be a 'passing on of the legacy', even among immigrant families such as my own who came to this country nearly a hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We were raised with a deep honoring in our bones of those whose stories were passionately tied to the act of, not only claiming independence, but putting one's life on the line to stake that claim. No-one had ever to say to us, 'Take your hat off!' or 'Put your hand over your heart!' as the flag passed by, whether in a parade or in a civil gathering: Everyone did it out of pride for country and respect for those whose blood mingled with the very soil under our feet that we might freely gather in this time. There was also a deep abiding respect for those present on the land before any immigrant arrived, those who paid the price of 'being settled' by forfeiting both their rights and their lives as others pushed for the expansion of freedom. It is the paradox of this nation's history which can never be adequately explained, but should never be forgotten for, in the words of my parents, 'What goes around, comes around' and one must wonder if we are just a declaration away from such settling happening all over again and ourselves and our rights being herded away to obscure reservations over trails of tears which are our own.

Patriotism is not an inherited characteristic, it is taught by example. Many a teacher has taught many a history class which was shaped in the terms of patriotism, but no history class in any school's curriculum was ever as capable of conveying a message as that which is articulated by the actions of the very people themselves. We remembered the parade routes in which we marched in the band and the people along those routes whose hands were over their hearts and, often, had tears streaming down their faces, as the local V.F.W. or American Legion 'band of brothers' marched with prided stride, carrying 'Old Glory' before them. We remembered the basketball games and the band playing the National Anthem before the Varsity Game, when every person in the gymnasium stopped talking and every eye sought out the flag, and nearly every mouth sang the words which shaped a national identity. We remembered when the Fourth of July was, indeed, a National Holiday, when everyone had the day off and plans had to be put in place in advance for the provisions of food and refreshments for the day, because no grocery store was open, few if any filling stations were open, and no department stores were open. We remember when the words, "Red, White and Blue" automatically made folks think of the flag and the meaning of those particular colors, the stars and bars, and the purpose for their arrangement on our nation's flag. We remember when our parents talked about patriotic pride on days other than the Fourth, not because they agreed with everything that was going on in our nation or the world, but because they understood such discussions to be an important part of citizenship and exercising their freedoms. We remember when patriotism wasn't a thing of fashion, but was the stuff of conviction.

Maybe Nancy and I are just getting older and lamenting 'the way things used to be' is a part of that journey, yet, our conversation and our remembrances got me to thinking about what it is we teach our children and why it is we teach them those things. We may not be able to change the social or political behaviors of a nation of people so that we are 'comfortable' with how others perceive patriotism, but we can raise our family to hold fast to those national ideals which are the bedrock of our country. Just as such things are not inherited characteristics, neither are they entitlements to claim. Like those before us, our very lives are required in the investment of continued exercise of freedom in this country - or we risk forfeiting our freedom in pursuit of a life which is no life at all. "Choose this day . . .", said Joshua, and we would do well to remember those words.

Fireworks may never be able to tell the story of freedoms journey in this land, but they are a persistent reminder of its cost: Freedom is not cheap, nor is patriotism a given. Nancy and I were blessed that our parents understood such lessons and passed them on as a humble legacy to immigrant children in a land of immigrant dreams. Lest we so fall in love with having our own needs met that we forget our own root we, too, must teach our children and their children after them, that their memories of July Fourths past might be as vivid and joyful as ours and their hopes for the future as bright.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Don