Content by: Wendy Busse-Coleman | Blog "The Back Page" | 5 Minute Read | July 4, 2026
Before You Read...
Today, I did something a little different.
Every Christmas season, I enjoy driving through neighborhoods to admire the beautiful displays of lights. I smile when I see homes glowing with holiday spirit and find myself saying, "What a beautiful display!" or "They really went all out this year!" There is something heartwarming about seeing people celebrate together.
This Fourth of July, I decided to take that same kind of drive but with a different purpose.
Instead of looking for Christmas lights, I was looking for signs that people were celebrating America's 250th birthday. I hoped to see American flags waving proudly, patriotic wreaths on front doors, red, white, and blue decorations, or even a simple sign recognizing the anniversary of our nation's independence from British rule.
Instead, I came home with a heavy heart.
On my street, my place was the only one flying the American flag (it’s a staple at my house) and decked out with all sorts of patriotic decorations.
One home.
One flag.
One visible reminder that today marks one of the most significant milestones in our nation's history.
I couldn't help but ask myself. What has happened to us?
Somewhere along the way, it seems we've allowed Independence Day, it seems we've allowed Independence Day to become just another summer holiday, a day for barbecues, swimming pools, water slides, fireworks, and gatherings with family and friends. While there is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying those traditions, they were never meant to replace the reason we celebrate.
The Fourth of July is about far more than food, fireworks, or a long weekend.
It's about the birth of a nation founded on the bold belief that people should have the right to govern themselves. It is about remembering those who fought for that freedom, those who have defended it for generations, and those who continue to stand watch today so that we may live in liberty.
We might not have a United States at All
Instead of one nation with 50 states, North America may have remained a collection of British colonies,
perhaps eventually becoming several separate countries, much like what happened with Canada and Australia.
There may never have been a single "United States of America."
Perhaps some people simply forgot. Perhaps others were too busy. Or perhaps we've become so distracted by our differences that we've forgotten the one that that still binds us together. We are Americans.
That thought has stayed with me all day.
So, I sat down and wrote this blog.
Not to criticize.
Not to divide.
But to remind us that the 250th birthday of the United States is worthy of our gratitude, our respect, and our celebration. If we cannot pause to honor the blessings of freedom and the sacrifices that made them possible, then perhaps it is time to ask ourselves what kind of legacy we are leaving for the generations that follow.
This birthday deserves more than fireworks.
It deserves our hearts.
Our freedoms could have developed Much More Slowly
Many of the rights Americans cherish today, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press,
the right to peacefully assemble, and protection against unreasonable government intrusion
are guaranteed in the United States Constitution and the United States Bill of Rights.
While Britain later expanded civil liberties, those specific constitutional protections may never have existed in the same form.
The Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
--Preamble to the Declaration of Independence
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
The document was engrossed on parchment and, one by one, 56 representatives from all 13 colonies signed it.
The Constitution of the United States
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
--Preamble to the United States Constitution
The Bill of Rights
The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.
--Preamble to the Bill of Rights
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights?utm_source=chatgpt.com
We would not have elected our own president
Instead of electing a president every four years, the head
of state would have remained the British monarch, with colonial or later dominion governments operating under the British Crown.
Two hundred and fifty years.
Think about that for a moment.
For two and a half centuries, the American experiment has continued through triumphs and trials, moments of incredible achievement and seasons of deep division. Few nations in history have endured as long while continually striving to improve themselves. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's independence, we have an opportunity to do something that is becoming increasingly rare: pause, reflect, and simply be grateful.
Gratitude does not mean believing our country has always been perfect. It means recognizing how extraordinary it is that millions of people from every background have chosen to call America home because they believed in the promise of freedom and opportunity.
Every day, people everywhere take huge risks to leave behind tough situations like oppression, corruption, violence, or poverty, all in hopes of finding a better life. Many of them dream of the freedoms that many Americans often overlook like the right to worship as they choose, speak their minds, vote, start a business, get an education, and shape their own futures.
These freedoms were never guaranteed. They were earned, protected, and preserved by generations who believed something greater than themselves was worth defending.
Honoring Those Who Stand Between Freedom and Fear
As fireworks illuminate the sky this Independence Day, let us also remember those who have stood watch while the rest of us slept peacefully.
Our service members, past and present, have answered a call that few are willing to answer. They have left families behind, missed birthdays and holidays, endured difficult deployments, and accepted enormous personal sacrifice to defend the Constitution and protect the American people.
Many never returned home.
Others came home carrying visible and invisible wounds that would last a lifetime.
We owe them more than applause on holidays.
We owe them our respect, our gratitude, and our commitment to preserving the freedoms they volunteered to protect.
Whether someone served during wartime or peacetime, whether they wore the uniform for four years or twenty-four, each made a commitment to place the nation's needs above personal comfort. That commitment deserves our appreciation regardless of political affiliation.
The American Flag represents more than fabric.
It represents sacrifice.
It represents hope.
It represents generations who believe freedom was worth defending.
Remembering That We Are One Nation
Today's America often feels divided.
Political disagreements have become personal attacks. Social media has made it easier to criticize than to understand. Many people are quicker to assume the worst about someone simply because they voted differently, worship differently, or hold different opinions.
But disagreement does not have to become disrespect.
Healthy democracies depend on honest debate. They also depend on citizens who remember that after the debate ends, we still share neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, churches and communities.
Our greatest strength has never been that we all think alike.
Our strength has always been our ability to work together despite our differences.
That is what makes America unique.
Unity Begins With Ordinary People
We often wait for elected leaders to fix division.
But unity has never started in Washington.
It begins in our homes.
Our neighborhoods.
Our schools.
Our places of worship.
Our conversations.
Every American can help strengthen our nation by making simple choices every day:
- Choose respect over insults.
- Listen before judging.
- Support local veterans and military families.
- Volunteer in your community.
- Teach children the history of our nation both its achievements and its lessons.
- Celebrate our freedoms while accepting the responsibility that comes with them.
- Show kindness to neighbors, even when you disagree.
- Fly the American flag with pride and understand what it represents.
- Vote thoughtfully, stay informed, and participate in civic life with integrity.
Patriotism is not about political parties.
It is about loving your country enough to help make it stronger.
A Shared Responsibility
The next chapter of America's story is not written by politicians alone.
It is written by teachers who inspire curiosity.
First responders who answer calls for help.
Healthcare professionals who care for strangers.
Small business owners who strengthen local communities.
Volunteers who give without expecting recognition.
And by ordinary citizens who choose to treat one another with dignity and respect.
Each of us has a role to play.
Happy 250th Birthday, America
As we celebrate 250 years of independence, let us remember that freedom is both a remarkable gift and a profound responsibility.
May we honor those who secured it.
May we protect it for future generations.
May we choose unity over division, service over selfishness, and gratitude over cynicism.
America's story is still being written.
The question is not only what kind of country we inherited.
The question is what kind of country we will leave behind.
Happy 250th Birthday, America.
Let’s keep working to be a country that honors the sacrifices that gave us our freedom. And let’s always remember that our biggest strength has always been, and will always be,
We the People.
A Perspective Worth Remembering
It is also important to remember that independence did not instantly create a perfect nation. The early United States still struggled with profound injustices, including slavery, unequal rights for women, and the displacement of Native peoples. Independence created the opportunity for Americans to govern themselves, but each generation has continued the work of expanding liberty and striving to fulfill the nation's founding ideals more completely.
That ongoing effort is part of the American story.
As we celebrate 250 years of independence, perhaps the greatest lesson is this:
Freedom is not something to inherit passively it is something every generation is entrusted to preserve and strengthen. The men and women who declared independence in 1776 could not have imagined the America today. Likewise, we cannot fully imagine the America that will exist 250 years from now.
The question each generation must answer is simple:
Will we leave our country stronger, freer, and more united than we found it?
That is a challenge worthy of America's next 250 years.
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