Happy 4th of July, Happy Birthday USA

July 4th, the birth of a nation, our founding fathers did something inconceivable in today's world. They agreed on something. They set aside their differences and looked at the bigger picture. What is best for all of our people? They declared their independence that day in 1776 and started writing the most crucial document in the history of the USA, the Constitution. As you can expect, that required a little collaboration, and disagreements were put aside. The Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified in 1788.

In my opinion, to be prepared for your future, you need to look at your past, as history teaches lessons.

There is always a bigger picture to focus on and collaborate on, which does not go against a person's belief or conviction.

Serving today in the US armed forces are a total of 1.382.840 brave men and women, including the US Coast Guard, who put their lives at risk so we, the citizens and inhabitants of this land, can enjoy our freedoms as listed in the Constitution.

With the holiday weekend at the front door and all of us getting ready for it in one way or another, it is also time to self-reflect. One of life's easiest mistakes we all make at some point is the assumption that I'm right implies the other is wrong. It's the single most mistake we are individuals make. Live is not binary, and while we (I) have a competitive nature. We like to win in sports and business, but in regular life, it's not about the destination but the journey, as the destination is for everyone the same. It does not matter what your upbringing was, your wealth, or your health. We will all die, and the goal such be to enjoy life as much as possible. Time will pass, and it feels like it's going faster and faster the older I get, which also means I need to assess where to spend my most precious commodity, time. Yes, working is important, but you can't work your life away. Stop and smell the roses, take a minute to listen to nature, spend time with your loved ones, or have a conversation with someone who could use the attention. Your time will be your most valuable gift, and it will be what most will remember. A place, a situation, or a smell will trigger most memories, but it starts with you spending "time" with your loved ones.

In this post covid time, we see more and more people suffering from mental health issues. As an adult (some will call me that), I have found ways to coop with matters in my own history, but the younger generation has to spend critical time away from socializing, which has been impacting them in ways I can't imagine. I could never function at the same level as my kids if I were to start living today. There are too many items that detract and grab my attention. I sincerely think that the younger generations have more capability to work through what I call chaotic situations than I was able to.

It commands my respect.

It would come easy for any of us to complain about life, work, the weather, or the traffic, but I like to work on solutions instead of whining that life is unfair.

We live in the greatest country in the world, and while it's not perfect, it's perfect for me.

While nothing is and will ever be perfect, this, the USA, is still the shining castle on a hill.

Happy 4th of July and Happy Birthday USA