The Test of Time
This July 4th marked the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The 4th of July was never really a favorite holiday for me, but I'm beginning to feel differently about it. I've always had fond memories of July 4th. When I was young, I always went to the parades and was even in them for many years. We always went to fireworks shows and set off our own! I have felt that my parents always impressed a sense of patriotism on me. Every year, the thing I noticed most were the tears in my dad's eyes during the fireworks, the Star Spangled Banner, or when another patriotic song was on the radio. I never knew what came to his mind at those times, but there was clearly an emotional movement, or something even spiritual going on. I don't know what it's like to sacrifice my life for freedom or liberty. I've never been jailed for standing for what I believe. I've never had the courage to travel to unknown places in...