"Oh, say, can you see..."

Independence Day has come and gone, and my reflection on freedom was more profound than ever. Perhaps it's the state of the world and the fight for freedom in the Middle East and around the world and the fact that social media has brought the Arab Spring into our living rooms. I know for me, I'm no longer insulated from hardships around the world. Here's an example, do you know that only 43% of the world's population is free? This number is recorded by Freedom House, an organization that tallies government and civil freedoms, human rights as well as freedom of the press. Once I heard this number, I was motivated to do something with my freedom and appreciate daily all the blessings of living in a free society. I suppose this personal practice of recognition is reflected in our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner:

"Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?"

Keeping "freedom" in sight is akin to the North Star analogy--recognizing what is dear and valued above all else and keeping it foremost as top priority. May you enjoy and appreciate your freedom not just July 4th but every day. In the spirit of energy--that which we give our attention to increases. May freedom abound.