"Let Freedom Ring"

Our nation recently celebrated its 233rd birthday and I had the pleasure of spending America’s birthday in Vail, Colorado with my darling girlfriend and one of her best gal pals, Susie.

It was a wonderful experience that included viewing a parade through the village, a fantastic dinner and some late night fun at one of the town’s most popular honkeytonks. But without question the highlight of the birthday party was a patriotic concert at the Gerald Ford Amphitheatre.

Thanks to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s great talents, uplifting sound and masterful director the packed throng of more than 2,500 waved American flags, sang, cried and saluted our country’s veterans for their service in preserving our freedoms. If you haven’t experienced this annual concert, put it on your bucket list – you will not regret it.

As the Comeback Coach, in each and every Run to Daylight presentation I encourage audience members to realize the importance of putting fear and self doubt aside and allow courage and wonderment to win. It’s a real key to running to daylight and playing like a champion at home, work and community.

As I sat there with tears streaming down my check as the orchestra played a melody of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Coast Guard fight songs, my mind jumped back to that moment 233 years ago when some very brave people put fear and self doubt aside and allowed courage and wonderment to win in pronouncing to Great Britain, “We are declaring our independence from you.” That took some guts.

And then my brain jumped to this: where in our personal lives might it be time to “declare independence” from thoughts, words or actions that have held us back from living the life we imagine? Where might it be time to set yourself free from the shackles of poor eating habits, too much drinking, a negative attitude toward work, an unhealthy relationship, an ambivalent attitude toward a good relationship?

13 colonies picked July 4, 1776 to declare independence from the tyranny of the British Empire. Perhaps the most famous sentence in that proclamation is the second. There the writers conclude their thoughts about rights, the most important being “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

This week, let’s pick a date and “declare independence” from anything that doesn’t honor us, nurture those dependent upon us or add value to the communities we serve. It will be a huge first step in allowing freedom to ring in our personal pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.