What is the name of the upcoming summer holiday that we celebrate early next month? Most of you will immediately say, “The Fourth of July.” While that statement is generally accepted to be true, the actual name of the holiday is Independence Day: the day the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, proclaiming our nation’s independence from the monarchy of Great Britain. I used to call it “The Fourth of July” too, and it was a hard habit to break.
Several years ago, I heard former talk radio host Neal Boortz speak about this important day in our nation’s history, and he made a very good point: we, as Americans, should make the effort to call the holiday by its actual name: Independence Day. Since the day I heard him speak about this on the radio, I have made a concerted effort to follow his lead and use “Independence Day” instead of “The Fourth of July.” Do my friends and family give me strange looks when I do so? They sure do, but that doesn’t bother me; the name of the holiday is Independence Day, and we as Americans need to remember what that really means.
While I don’t remember Neal’s monologue word-for-word, his message stuck with me. Suppose, for example, later this year, a friend or loved one said to you, “Merry 25th of December” or “Happy 25th Day of Kislev.” That would sound a bit odd to you, wouldn’t it? After all, those holidays are Christmas and Chanukkah, respectively. How about “Fourth Thursday in November” dinner? Probably not, but I bet you’ve invited someone or been invited to Thanksgiving Dinner, haven’t you?
Since listening to Neal Boortz speak about this, I thought back as far as I could remember, and could not recall anyone — not my parents, friends, even teachers — who referred to this sacred day by its real name. They just called it, “The Fourth of July,” or even just “The Fourth.”
Like Memorial Day, we Americans celebrate Independence Day or “The Fourth of July” with things like cookouts, parties, swimming pools and the beach. While those things are fine, we should never lose sight of what these holidays really mean to us as a nation. This year, I encourage all of you to call Independence Day by its name, not its date, and to take some time to think about the real meaning of the holiday. Look on any calendar, and I bet you will see the words “Independence Day” on July 4th. Many lives were given for that independence. This year, and every year going forward, let us all remember and honor our founding fathers by saying,
“Happy Independence Day.”
John Henninges,
Licensed Insurance Agent
Owner JMH Financial, Inc.
john@jmhfin.net
800-339-8609
