Happy Independence Day!

Today, I want to write to say “THANK YOU” to everyone who works, or has worked, diligently to provide and protect our freedoms.

Everywhere I turn these days someone is complaining about our country. Unbelievable to me. There is NO other country in this entire universe where you have as much freedoms as you do in the United States of America! And, you complain? And, loudly about it?

This bothers me quite a bit because I have grown up in an area where the federal government has many offices and several military installations. I have known many people throughout the 50 years I have lived here who were working sometimes around the clock to protect us! Also, to give us the freedoms we do.

Unfortunately, I have known, and had a few friends, who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. Military to, again, protect our freedoms. Those who died often left a family behind to defend for themselves.

Why do they do it? Mostly because they love our country and want to serve. It is certainly not for the pay and benefits. They LOVE our country. All of it. Even those who ungratefully complain.

If I could, I would shake the hand of everyone who has ever worked to protect our freedoms or come to our rescue when we needed help. Unfortunately, I cannot because it is too many people and I don’t know them all. So I will say with my loudest voice and happiest tone I can:

THANK YOU U.S. ARMED FORCES and FIRST RESPONDERS!