“All we use or know –this our fathers bought for us long ago.”
- Rudyard Kipling
On Tuesday this week we celebrate the birth of our country with our remembrance of the 4th of July holiday. More than any other national holiday, we seem to get this one right; yes, it still has its materialistic elements, with our backyard barbeques, our fireworks, our parades and our red, white and blue shirts and outfits, but it also has a spirit to it that I don’t see in some of our other holidays.
On July 4th, I walk the parade as Mayor of Darien, and as I meet and wish our residents a Happy July 4th, I look in their eyes, and I can see that many have a true appreciation for being American and having the freedoms that we all enjoy. Over the years, I have seen more residents of different ethnic groups who celebrate their new homes and freedom in America. These new Americans, unlike some of us, know the difference between living under a flag of liberty versus a flag of oppression. On July 4th, we all seem to forget the differences that exist in our society as we acknowledge that we are all American despite the color of our skin, our cultural backgrounds or religious beliefs.
That is why July 4th is my favorite holiday; it exudes a spirit that I would love to see expressed each and every day of the year. As I remember so vividly from watching his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy stated “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” and my wish on this July 4th, is that his dream will come true so that we will all seek ways of truly appreciating the freedoms “this our fathers bought for us long ago.”
