[July 4, 2023 – Blog] When I was in my grade school choir in Liberty, Texas, we practiced a cherished patriotic song over and over in preparation for a performance in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The whole town would celebrate around the only other bell made from the same mold as the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, a monument made at the Whitechapel Foundry in London and obtained by local residents. With hands over our hearts, we would proudly sing together.
On this day July 4, 2023, I still cannot say it any better than this song, “This Is My Country.”
This is my country! Land of my birth!
This is my country! Grandest on earth!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country to have and to hold.
What diff’rence if I hail from North or South
Or from the East or West
My heart is filled with love for all of these.
I only know I swell with pride and deep within my breast
I thrill to see Old Glory paint the breeze.
With hand upon heart I thank the Lord For this
My native land,
For all I love is here within her gates.
My soul is rooted deeply in the soil on which I stand,
For these are mine own United States.
This is my country! Land of my choice!
This is my country! Hear my proud voice!
I pledge thee my allegiance, America, the bold,
For this is my country! To have and to hold.
—Composed in 1940 by the popular songwriters Don Raye and Al Jacobs.
Over the years, we’ve celebrated this special day from the water in the local boat parade (pictured above) decked out in red, white and blue. Every year, I am thrilled to see Old Glory paint the breeze and I think of my ancestors, who we can trace back to the Revolutionary War. Today, I salute them for taking risks and fighting for our freedom.
Happy Independence Day!
Gay Gaddis
Founder. Author. Artist. Trailblazer.
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