Living with Liberty

It was busy at the twin’s household. It was the day before the 4th of July, and Dad was working hard at cleaning the garage, Mom was baking and cooking away in the kitchen preparing for the family and friends that would be coming for their barbecue, and Harley and Harper were arguing back and forth on who’s turn it was to pick up after their new puppy. 

“The chart says it is your turn,” Harper stated matter of factly.

“But he got sick this morning and I cleaned it up. That makes it your turn!” Harley fought back. 

“You didn’t write it on the chart, so it doesn’t count.” Harper crossed her arms. 

Harley was holding their puppy and gestured with his head, “I kind of had my hands full, and forgot this one time to write it down. Can’t you just pick it up?”

Harper opened her mouth but heard the door signaling that Dad must be coming in to take a break. The twins had been careful not to let their parents hear when they would argue about Dog Duties - they wanted to prove to them that they were mature enough to handle all the responsibilities that came with puppy care. 

Harper glared at her brother and whispered, “Fine, but you owe me.” 

Harley nodded back and carried Pickles towards the kitchen. They had decided on the name because a pickle could be sweet or sour, much like dog duties, and it was something they both enjoyed.

“Everything okay with you and your sister?” Mom looked up from her mixing, “I thought I heard arguing?”

“Nope, all good. That smells great!” Harley answered quickly before changing the subject to the pan of brownies cooling off on the counter.

“Hun, where do you want the box of sparklers?” Dad came in carrying a box.

Harley looked at the large box and got excited. For as long as he could remember, they lit sparklers up on the 4th of July and would run and wave them or twirl them in circles and other shapes. 

Harper joined the rest of the family, and seeing the sparkers, she smiled widely, “Mom, do we have any fun headbands or bows to wear this year?” She enjoyed her mom’s annual selection of fun red, white, and blue accessories. 

“We sure do. I will show you later,” Mom answered while rotating a pan of shortcake in the oven. Tomorrow it would be all decorated with strawberries and whipped cream!

Since Mom had her hands full, Dad and the twins worked together to make lunch. Convincing Mom to take a break, the family sat down at the table with Pickles ready and waiting for any dropped crumbs. 

Revisiting all their favorite things about the holiday, they began to talk more about the meaning of the 4th, “Do you two understand what a beautiful thing Independence is?”

“Independence is another word for freedom, right?” Harper wanted to make sure. 

“Yes, it is. The 4th of July, or rather, Independence Day, is America’s birthday and is a celebration of the freedoms that our founding fathers and thousands of soldiers fought for so we can live with liberty.” Dad summarized. 

“What does liberty mean again?” Harper asked. She was familiar with the word from the Pledge of Allegiance but wanted to know more. “How do we live with it?”

Mom grew sad, “In some countries, Dads are told what they are to do for work; they don’t get a choice. Moms, as well, get little say in what they can and cannot do, and children are often told what they are to study.”

“Like when they graduate? They don’t get to choose what they want to study in college?”

Mom nodded yes and touched her hand with a soft, sad smile.

The twins looked at each other. They had heard about this a little in school, but it hadn’t sunk in how special it was to live with liberty in a free country. From big things to little things, they couldn’t imagine not being able to have the freedom to choose…let alone their parents not being able to choose.

Mom and Dad gave them freedom of choice in so many areas of their lives: what sport they wanted to play after school, what snack they wanted while they did homework, what color/pattern they preferred when picking out school clothes. Big or little, they were able to make choices every day.

The twins agreed that while they enjoyed their sparkles the next day, they would each share something that they were able to enjoy thanks to the liberty that they live with.