As Americans, we often fail to fully appreciate our independence.
We praise the military heroes responsible for our independence and the statesmen responsible for our democracy, yet we fail to vote.
We also fail to appreciate independence in our personal lives.
Two hundred and thirty-nine years after a group of farmers and tradesmen defeated a great military power at great cost to grant us independence, we take advantage of this priceless gift by indulging in our new national pastimes of Facebook and Netflix.
Our dictionary defines independence as “freedom from the influence, control, or determination of another or others.”
As citizens of an independent country, we have this freedom – the freedom to do virtually anything we want.
Lincoln County offers many opportunities to indulge this freedom. This Independence Day, take advantage of our independence to do something new.
Kayak to one of the raw, wild islands off our coast. Eat at one of our many incredible restaurants – another seems to open every day – or visit a farmers market to sample what Lincoln County farmers are growing and raising. Lincoln County artists, authors, and musicians stage an impressive variety of events on almost any weekend – visit a gallery, read a book, see a concert.
As you do so, take a moment to reflect on the price of independence and the value of independence. This price gives us a duty, and one we should relish – to live life well; to appreciate our freedom.
