This July 4th we will be celebrating our nation’s birthday with gatherings, fireworks, and singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
The good ole red, white, and blue are the colors that the Founding Fathers chose to represent our values. According to Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress, the color white stood for purity and innocence; the color red represents hardiness and valor; while blue stood for vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
These values unified the 13 original colonies into declaring their independence from the British monarchy and victory in the War of Independence, and the continual growth and success for the past 246 years.
All of us have faced stress in recent years, some more than others. Many are still facing the challenges of caring for loved ones, the increased cost of living, rollercoaster investment portfolios, and anxiety for the future.
So this year, it is even more important to not forget that we, the people of the United States, are founded on perseverance and hardiness. This community has joined to hold each other after facing the evil of the MSD shooting. We have stood together with each other throughout the past couple of years of the pandemic’s ups and downs. We have lent a helping hand to each other when times were tough.
So when we sing “Gave proof through the night, That our flag was still there,” reflect on the resilience of our community. Quoting a former president, “The colors of our flag signify the qualities of the human spirit we Americans cherish.” So we should have faith that our common values, symbolized by the flag, will unite us and persevere through the tough times.