Reader encourages practicing freedom

Thanksgiving, Veterans' Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and many times throughout the year, we reflect on being thankful; grateful for the freedoms we have received through the founding fathers, the American Revolution, every soldier, Marine, sailor, and, if we reflect enough, thankful to the God who inspired a desire for freedom.

Well, and good, however, what do we do to prove ourselves worthy of all that time, sacrifice, grace and mercy?

Is that whining I hear, as you proclaim: "I try to be good."

Dandy! Try practicing doing good.

Too many times, we Americans are guilty of talking a good game about duty, honor, sacrifice, but we rarely practice it. We don't mind that some soldier has put his life on the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, for however many years he contracted with the government to serve.

We strut around, proud to be Americans, but how many of us actually have anything to warrant pride? Sadly, most of us practice false pride by saying: "Well, I haven't been thrown in jail." Big deal. Neither have a bunch of criminals who have never been caught.

Resolve today to change your grateful attitude from talk to action! Start putting your actions where your mouth is. No one can do everything, but every one can do something.

Inventory your life and see if you are proving to our veterans and military personnel that what they have sacrificed for was worth the effort.

You might start by reading the Declaration of Independence and figuring out just what part of freedom you are not practicing.

When you start actually trying to live free, you will realize there is a politician or bureaucrat standing between you and your goal. If that doesn't get your American back up, I just don't know what will!

Mary Seaman

Soap Lake