Motivation Mondays: Happy 4th Of July – Independence Day

“Those who won our independence believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.” Louis D. Brandeis

Motivation Mondays: Happy 4th Of July – Independence Day

Day of glory! welcome day!
Freedom’s banners greet thy ray;
See! how cheerfully they play
With thy morning breeze,
On the rocks where pilgrims kneel’d,
On the heights where squadrons wheel’d,
When a tyrant’s thunder peal’d,
O’er the trembling seas…
O let freemen be our sons;
And let future Washingtons
Rise, to lead their valiant ones,
Till there’s war no more.
~John Pierpont (1785–1866), “Independence”

Happy Independence Day! Today, we celebrate the commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776; this day/date signifies the birth of the United States of America and the liberation of her original thirteen colonies from British rule. While the legal separation actually occurred on July 2nd, the 4th is recognized as the date the documents were ratified and, thus, we spend this day joyfully setting off fireworks, attending parades and enjoying picnics with friends and family. We must all stay motivated to ensure that our Independence remains such for all generations and we do that by staying active in our communities, local government and by voting. Our freedoms aren’t free; we must work to maintain them.

This year, for America’s 240th birthday,  we plan to celebrate the day quietly with a focus on offering prayers for peace; personal, national, and global peace. I used to prepare a big festive meal and gathering for friends when the kids were little but, these days, we don’t celebrate in quite the same way. We have a small family affair with, maybe, a few friends over. It is still a happy occasion but different. Living in a democratic nation means we are protected from chaos and anarchy, and enjoy other protections under the law. I think it is important to remember on this day the value of freedom, independence and peaceful co-existence in the world. Enjoy your meals and have a terrific July 4th celebration!

“We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” William Faulkner

Motivation Mondays: Happy 4th Of July – Independence Day

Motivation Mondays: Happy 4th Of July – Independence Day

To the sages who spoke—to the heroes who bled—
To the day, and the deed—strike the harpstrings of glory!
Let the song of the ransom’d remember the dead,
And the tongue of the eloquent hallow the story.
O’er the bones of the bold,
Be the story long told,
And on Fame’s golden tablets their triumphs enroll’d,
Who on freedom’s green hills freedom’s banner unfurl’d,
And the beacon-fire rais’d that gave light to the world.
~Charles Sprague (1791–1875), Ode for the Fourth of July, 1827

What does celebrating Independence Day really mean?  I know many people see this as a day off work, a day to chill out and eat a ton of food or even to catch up on the fireworks with friends and family. While all of those reasons are fine, this day is really about remembering the value of our liberties; our rights to choose, live, congregate, speak out and more. The gatherings remind us of the importance of our personal freedom; our right to gather and enjoy a meal with others without being under siege. Independence Day is also a reminder that many fought for us to be able to provide a safe haven for our kids and loved ones; it means that we uphold our rights to maintain a democratic process, and that we don’t want to live in a war zone or suffer through restrictions like food rations.

Globally, many countries remain at war with each other in small and large ways.  There are acts of terrorism in countries across the world,  and we need to come together to speak out against such horrors and cherish what we have … so this day matters. We must remember that even with the daily challenges we face here, inequalities, bigotry,  job loss and such, we are fortunate in America, as we live in relative peace.  We must remember to treat this day with reverence and gratitude for the liberties we enjoy.

The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for June and July 2016 are:

JUNE
06/06 –    6 D Day, WWII, 6 Ramadan begins
06/13 –   14 Flag Day, 14-15, The United State of Women Summit, 19 Father’s Day – third Sunday, 19 Juneteenth Day
06/20 –  20 Summer Solstice (The longest day of the year!), 20 World Refugee Day, 21 International Yoga Day, 23 Int’l. Widows’ Day
06/27 –  26 Day against Drug Abuse/Illicit Trafficking

JULY
07/04 –  1 Canada Day,  4 Independence Day – July 4th, 4 New Moon
07/11 –   11 World Population Day, 14 Bastille Day
07/18 –  18 Nelson Mandela Day
07/25 –  25  Thread the Needle Day,  30 International Friendship Day & Anti-Trafficking Day

Are You Looking for Ways to Stay Creative in 2016?

– Join the Daily Post Post-a-day or Post-a-week Challenge.

— Join the BlogHer Writing Lab

MORE BELOW!
“It is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism.” J. Horace McFarland

Motivation Mondays: Happy 4th Of July – Independence Day

Liberty does not consist, my fellow citizens, in mere general declarations of the rights of man. It consists in the translation of those declarations into definite action. Therefore… reading its business-like sentences, we ought to ask ourselves what there is in it for us. There is nothing in it for us unless we can translate it into the terms of our own conditions and of our own lives….
The task to which we have constantly to readdress ourselves is the task of proving that we are worthy of the men who drew this great declaration and know what they would have done in our circumstances. Patriotism consists in some very practical things—practical in that they belong to the life of every day, that they wear no extraordinary distinction about them, that they are connected with commonplace duty. Woodrow Wilson, Presidential Address at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1914 July 4th

What are your plans for this special day? Will you remember to pause and give thanks for your freedom and all the rights you enjoy? Why is this day a motivator? Let me remind us all that when we live in a society that values its Independence, we can trust that most of our choices won’t be challenged, and our family won’t come to harm because of our ideas and decisions. We can express our opinions on a wide range of topics, speak out against any sort of civil rights infringements, fight against bigotry, choose the type of jobs we want, and move around freely. We must remember to honor those who protect our rights and do our bit to ensure our children, grandchildren  and others will continue to enjoy and celebrate Independence Day.

As we join our loved ones to celebrate July 4th in the many ways mentioned above, take a moment to educate those around you on the history of  Independence Day and the long journey that got us here. It is not enough to eat, drink and be merry… take time to teach yourself and others about this great nation and then take another moment to express your gratitude for it all. Again, celebrate your independence, cherish the liberties you enjoy, and stay motivated to ensure that others can have access to the same rights we wish for our loved ones and ourselves.

Any Zen Antics stories via Goodweb.cn

Positive Motivation Tip: Cherish your freedoms and stay motivated to ensure that others can have access to the same rights

Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page: MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.

Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
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PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS:All Photos –  Signing of Declaration Of Independence via Wikipedia and Independence Day via Pixabay 

Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet

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