Here in the USA, there seem to be increasingly few things we can all agree on.  But there is still the sanctity of a several significant holidays:  New Year’s, Thanksgiving, and the 4^th of July.  I’m a sucker for all three celebrations, if only because we seem to collectively  embrace them—and most hard-working folks get a day or four off. 

In other words, you won’t hear me complaining about busy lakes or crowded parks today.  I’d rather jump in and hang on. 

The 4^th remains particularly meaningful, since between the bar-b-ques, beerfests and fireworks, we still manage to observe the greatest gift of them all:  Freedom itself. 

What skill, courage and daring our forebears somehow mustered up!  Indeed, that’s what it takes to break away from most anything, be it ennui, an oppresive job, or England. 

So I raise my one-pound, red-white-and-blue PBR to our founders, enslaved folks everywhere, and the good people of America on this day of freedom. 

Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”  

Jean Jacques Rousseau