Declaring Independence!
by Clinicians at Ganey Counseling on 07/02/15
Fireworks, picnics, red, white, and blue… so many things come to mind when we think about the 4th of July. It is a day of great celebration and joy as we commemorate our country's history and the freedom that was sacrificially won. This freedom has allowed us to not only declare independence but also to declare a new way of life.
Our forefathers chose not to suffer under evil, instead they chose to "right themselves by abolishing" their connection to the tyrannical powers of the king. It took great courage for our forefathers to choose to no longer suffer. It takes great courage in our own lives to choose to no longer suffer. Sometimes the suffering we experience is at the hands of someone else and we need to seek help or justice to right the situation. However, it is more often the case that we suffer because of ourselves. Perhaps we are so used to our struggles that we just accept them as part of our lives, or perhaps we fear the pain or the whiplash that might come if we choose to do things differently.
Our forefathers were willing to pledge their "lives," "fortunes," and "sacred honor" to uphold their declaration of independence. They were not focused, however, on what they might need to give up, they were focused on that which they valued and wanted to protect… "the truth 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." If we merely focus on the pain or the sacrifice required we will not be inclined to make the necessary changes. Instead we need to focus on that which we value and long to protect.
What is it that you need to be freed from? Where
in your life do you need to stop waving the white flag and start raising a flag
of freedom? Perhaps this year, on July 4th, you will not just celebrate the
choice of our forefathers but you will celebrate your own choice to begin
making changes and pursue freedom in your own life.
July 4th is not merely a day to celebrate and remember, it is a day to act. Act in the truth of our unalienable rights as persons created equal by God treating one another with love and respect, all the while being willing and courageous to stand up against that which causes us to "suffer."
Let Freedom Ring!
Submitted by Sarah E. Loew, MS
