This morning I noticed myself feeling celebratory as I brought the Fourth of July to my awareness. I wondered why. What is it about the Fourth that stirs my energy almost every year since I came to this country from Australia some thirty years ago?
I decided it’s the “essence of the fourth”. In other words, it’s the deep values that are embedded in the culture of the United States around that holiday that I appreciate, honor, and celebrate. Values like freedom, liberty, justice, and equality come to mind. Although we often see these values compromised in our everyday world, we still as a nation hold them to be true. They were inspired by the bravery,gallantry, and daring of those patriots many years ago. They were the ones who took a stand for freedom and risked everything in that cause. 
Thinking further, I could not help wondering what it might be like if I was able to integrate those values into my daily life as a way of being. I believe that we all hold those values at some deep level. They are spiritually sound and are often reflected in many of the scriptures from many faiths, religions, and creeds. Our forefathers brought them to the fore when under duress, when victimized and persecuted to a level that could no longer be tolerated. Many of us do the same. We can only be pushed so far before we revolt, just like the Patriots. What if we didn’t need to go that far before manifesting those values in our lives on a daily basis? What if we could find freedom within ourselves every day and offer that same freedom to others in our lives? What if we could bring a sense of justice to our own life and also offer that to others? And the same for equality – seeing ourselves as equal and others the same way, then acting accordingly?
My reflections inspired me to meditate on these questions. I closed my eyes, took a few deep breaths, tuned in to my body, and asked myself these questions and sought guidance from my inner knowing around how I might manifest these values in my day to day life. I won’t tell you what I discovered as I would like you to try it for yourself if you feel at all inspired to do so. I’m sure your answers will be unique to you as I believe mine were to me. Tonight as I watch the fireworks, I’ll do so with heart felt celebration and sound intention. Happy Fourth!
