Let Freedom Ring!
- Sheri and Bill Eppright
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
The Liberty Bell is proudly displayed in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There it stands as a symbol of liberty and freedom for our country.
When we first approached it on a trip to Philadelphia a few years ago, we expected to just snap a pix and then check another famous landmark off our travel list. Instead, something unexpected happened.
Sheri: I remember standing there looking at that cracked and weathered bell. It stirred up an unexpected deep sense of gratitude, and I got emotional, imagining all the generations who came before us.
Bill: Yep, that was a totally unexpected moment for me too. It's not every day a piece of metal makes you stop and think. This one sure did!
Now, as America celebrates 250 years this week, we wonder if that feeling is still appreciated. Not perfection. Not politics. Just gratitude. Gratitude for the freedoms we often take for granted and for the generations before us who carried burdens, we'll never fully understand.
Adlai Stevenson pretty much summed it up: "When an American says that he loves his country, he means that he loves an inner air, an inner light in which freedom lives and in which a man can draw the breath of self-respect."
Freedom goes far beyond fireworks and parades. It lives in ordinary moments—family dinners, church pews, road trips, grandkids laughing in the backyard. Oh, how we appreciate the ability to speak openly, worship freely, dream boldly, and start over when life doesn't go according to plan!
The Liberty Bell also reminds us that freedom is both a gift and a responsibility. So many people have sacrificed so future generations could live ordinary, yet meaningful lives. That's the miracle of it, really.
This was one of those moments that pointed to something bigger. No grand speech. No dramatic soundtrack. Just two people standing beside a famous bell, quietly thanking God for the privilege of calling this country home.
Our shared history is not flawless, but we recognize how much courage, sacrifice, faith, and perseverance it took to get here—and how important it is to keep choosing this honored path moving forward.
This Fourth of July, we hope you're able to pause somewhere between the burgers, fireworks, and sparklers to reflect on the blessings around you and find yourself feeling grateful for freedoms that have become so familiar that we sometimes forget just how precious they are.
Happy Independence Day, friends!
Sheri & Bill, Storytellers in Word Image and Song
Positive Reflections... Likeminded Perspectives
"The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time."— Thomas Jefferson |
"Where liberty dwells, there is my country."— Benjamin Franklin |
|
, P
InOurView.com offers a weekly positivity blog, motivation gallery with original photography, plus recorded original folk pop music…all inspired by everyday life from a positive view.
© 2026 InourView.com All rights reserved.
Comments