Celebrating Our Independence
242 years ago, a determined group of business and community leaders declared their independence from the King of England. Tired of oppressive taxes and without representation, they had had enough. They had had so much, that they vowed to put their families and personal wealth on the line. These Patriots were now “all in” and were prepared to fight for what they believed was right. Do we as a country still maintain this level of conviction and purpose?
What are the lessons to be learned from these men of outstanding honor and character? In my humble opinion, the main lesson is that without the freedom to control ones’ destiny, there will be no settling – discontent will rule the land. We must remind ourselves and our neighbors from time to time, that our country was founded upon the principles of limited government and the right to pursue our own destiny as we each see fit. Our forefathers were also strong believers in accountability – that of government, family, and personal. I do not believe any of them were opposed to offering a helping hand to another in time of need, but I doubt they could have ever imagined the overwhelming bureaucracy that has evolved over the past 242 years.
We recently took time on Memorial Day to honor the men and women who have fought, suffered, and in many cases, died to protect our freedoms. Let us all remember the principles on which our great country was formed: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Simple enough it would seem, these “certain unalienable rights” we are all born with, but it is so easy to forget in our ever-complicated world. Let’s celebrate the values that our country was founded upon, just the way founding father John Adams foresaw, in a letter to his beloved wife Abigail:
“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival…. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
When the members of our China Instrument Parts team get that extra day off in the middle of next week, it will be a well-deserved break. The first half of our year has been a busy one, and I’d like to personally thank each and every person who has gone above and beyond in the support of our customers and business partners. On that same note, I’d like to thank the folks at Able Electropolishing for jumping through hoops to make miracles happen. I am so grateful for their partnership and dedication to excellence.
Before we squeeze the bottle of starter fluid on the charcoal this 4th of July, let’s recall the reasons for being here, those first patriots that made it all happen, and how each of us is responsible for protecting the vision of our founders.
On a side note, who can still smell the lighter fluid going up in a ball of flame? More is better, right? Who out there recalls and longs for the simpler times when we all were not running around, cell phone constantly in hand, always connected? I do, and I look forward to spending time with family and good friends where we can enjoy one another’s conversation, intellect, and good humor. I look forward to making time to reconnect with like-minded friends and family this 4th of July. Travel safe and enjoy the simplicity of good conversation while honoring the foresight of those who have paved the way for us.
Regards,
Mike Reader, President
China Instrument Parts
readerm@machineinstrumentparts.com
