By Lulu

As we ride into the heat of summer I know we all have trips and plans scheduled. We live in a country of such diverse beauty to ride. We count our blessings that we can freely roam the states. As this is the month of our Independence I really want to remind all how much our servicemen and women, over the course of the history of this country, have given to fight for our freedom and to keep us free. Lives lost, years away from families, handicaps, both physical and mental, that last a life time…these are the price that our military have paid. We sit in our homes worried about rising unemployment and inflation, but I really don’t worry about a towel wrapped person assaulting me at the market…FOR THIS I AM GRATEFUL. No one dictates to me whether I kneel facing the sun and no one tells someone who wants to kneel facing the son that they can’t…FOR THIS I AM GRATEFUL. Whether my grandchild is born female or male no one will say what they can or cannot grow up to be…FOR THIS I AM GRATEFUL. Aren’t you??? Let us not forget who it is we are GRATEFUL to.

I am proud to say that I have a flag flying at our house and on our bike and that the 4th of July means something to me. I am proud to say that when I am at an assembly that includes the Pledge of Allegiance or our anthem…I fight back tears. I am proud to say that when I was at my grandsons’ graduations in Pensacola this May that my mind was in Washington, DC thinking of the wonderful men and women from Rolling Thunder paying homage to the Vietnam era veteran’s. They ride making a statement on their thousands of motorcycles, that our POW/MIA’s must not be forgotten and that all who have given of themselves to protect us and our freedoms should be honored.

Watch fireworks somewhere this 4th and when you do be GRATEFUL that we are watching a beautiful spectacle not fleeing for our lives. Say a prayer for those that are serving. Thank anyone you see, any time you see them in a service uniform…don’t think they can hear it too much…they can’t!!