Inside Connors: Happy Fourth of July

As the Fourth of July approaches, we have spent some time thinking about the United States and all of the changes that have occurred over the last several decades.  Cell phones have replaced the old rotary dial phones, the internet has made it easier to stay connected, and the old-fashioned pens and paper have been replaced with high tech gadgets.  While all of these changes have been significant, several things have remained the same.  The things that are the most important-family, the love of the country, and integrity-have managed to remain unscathed during all of these new developments.

Years ago, when we were growing up, the Fourth of July was a real celebration.  We would get out the barbeque grills and our dads would put on some hot dogs and hamburgers.  While the food was cooking, we’d play catch with our uncles or toss around the football.  During the festivities, the flag would be up at full mast, waving with pride.  Even at a young age, we knew what the Fourth of July meant to our families and our country.  Family and country have always been important to each and every one of us.  We may not have had cell phones (or in many of cases, even computers), but we knew how to have fun and respect our country.

Now, it’s a new era.  Our kids send text messages to give us the latest news.  Pictures of grandkids are popping up in SMS messages, and sites like Facebook have allowed us to stay in touch with our families, even when they live half a country away.  Some things are the same, though.  We still believe in family and country.  That’s why this Fourth of July will not be that different from the Fourth of July’s we had so many years ago.  The baseball mitts and footballs will come out of the garage.  We’ll fire up the grill and throw on some hotdogs and hamburgers. The flag will continue to wave proudly, representing the country we love.  Our kids and grandkids will join us, and we will move forward with this tradition.

While we play catch, eat our burgers and pay our respects to the flag, though, we will keep a few things in mind.  This year, like so many previous years, we have brave men and women overseas.  These men and women are risking their lives so we can continue to carry on this simple yet important Fourth of July tradition.

We don’t take any of this for granted.  We are proud of this country, in awe of our soldiers and in love with our families.  We appreciate the sacrifices everyone has made to allow us to feel all of these emotions and live such happy lives.

We also want to take a moment to let our clients know we are thinking of them and their family members during this special holiday.  For those of you who have brothers, sisters, children or grandchildren overseas, please know they are in our hearts and in our prayers. 

Spend time with your family with Fourth of July.  Celebrate with your kids and grandkids, and teach them the simple tradition of honoring family and country.  Some things will never change.  The need for family and the integrity of the United States of America will remain the same throughout all generations.