Check off list for the Fourth:
The barbecue is ready.
The dogs are ready to grill.
The tote is packed for the beach.
The sunscreen and hats are loaded.
All that remains is to hug a soldier.
The soldier is the one to whom you are indebted this Fourth of July.
He carried a gun so you wouldn’t have to.
He faced off the enemy so you could wave a flag at today’s parade.
He walked more miles in the sand than you will ever walk in malls.
He wore battle fatigues in the searing sun so you could sunbathe on your favorite beach.
He slept on a cot in the cold so you could warm up in your pillow top mattress.
He watched friends die in explosions so you could watch fireworks in the sky.
He went to war so you could live in peace.
On this Fourth of July, 2014, while you are celebrating the independence of our nation, remember the freedoms we enjoy were bought at a terrible price. Men and women have laid their lives down that we might live as we choose. The sanctions, constitutions, and other documents of peace were signed with their blood.
If you see a soldier this holiday, shake their hand, thank them for their service, buy them a meal, and give them a hug.
You owe them.
Happy Fourth of July