Patriots…

Since 1894, April 19^th has been Patriot’s Day for all Americans.  Do you feel like you’re a patriot?  I do.  Here’s a definition:

Patriot: one who loves and supports his or her country.

Merriam-Webster

Actually, the catalyst behind Patriot’s Day was more than merely “love and support”.  According to Wikipedia:

Patriots' Day commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord, which are considered the start of the American Revolutionary War. This historic event, occurring on April 19, 1775… The holiday honors the sacrifices made by American colonists in their fight for independence from Great Britain.

America often, “honors the sacrifices made in fight”, true?  And we constantly search for leaders who will lead the fight regardless of their persona (most famously Ulysses S. Grant):

… a former President who had a good deal of trouble finding a successful commander for the armies of the United States.  And one of them turned up one day and he was very successful.  And some very good citizens went to the President. 'You can't keep this man. He drinks.'  'It must be a good brand of liquor', the President replied.

Franklin Roosevelt

It’s been 250 years since our initial fight for independence and we’re still at war, true?  Over the years there have been attempts to lessen the need for sacrifices.  Do you align with this patriotic thinking offered in his book Our Endangered Values ©?

I want our country to be strong enough in all elements, military and otherwise, so we never have to prove we are strong.

Jimmy Carter

With or without proving it.  With or without guns; wars; and corresponding sacrifices we can be patriotic by loving and supporting our country.  Here’s to you and all the patriots, past and present, that do so every day.

GAP

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.