*My country ’tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing.
Land where my fathers died!
Land of the Pilgrim’s pride!
From every mountain side,
Let freedom ring!
Our father’s God to, Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom’s holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!
Freedom.
Freedom from fear and oppression, freedom to live our lives and fulfill our dreams, freedom to write our stories. It’s in our constitution and our patriotic songs. Freedom is a precious commodity still alive (for the most part) in this country. Oh, may we cherish it!
As authors and journalists, we are still relatively free from censor as long as we don’t intentionally harm someone. Ours is a country made for wordsmiths! We can write our articles, poems, songs, memoirs, stories, and books without fear of being imprisoned. We can think up plots that chill spines or puzzle astute minds; humor and satire that produce chuckles, guffaws, or wry smiles; and desperate, horrific situations that rend hearts (and bring out tissue boxes), and pierce consciences.
Words have power.
“The pen is mightier than the sword,” said English playwright, Edward Bulwer-Lytton. So let’s wield our words wisely. Yes, let us use them to entertain, but also to encourage, inspire, challenge, and provoke our readers toward what is good.
Come mighty patriots, take advantage of the freedom you have. Write on! Publish! Change a mind, a life, a world!
“The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:” Psalm 68:11 NIV
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7
* Written by Samuel Francis Smith; the tune used for this song is “God Save the Queen”, the British National Anthem.
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The Writers in Residence 
We are so blessed to live in a free country where we can say what we believe and write what we believe. That freedom was gotten at a high price since we had to fight a war to achieve it and have fought again to hold onto it. That struggle shows us that freedom comes with a cost, but that doesn’t mean all we need to do is fight. We must learn, teach, have values, have standards, and have laws that keep us within boundaries so that we all can share this freedom and show others around the world the value of that freedom. That Statue of Liberty in New York harbor wasn’t an invitation to other people to come here. It was to show other countries what they can do to achieve freedom for themselves. God Bless America’s freedom.
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Everything Gayle said, I second! Indeed, feel extremely lucky to have been born (and now writing) in this country. Thankful. Excellent post, especially given our latest national holiday.
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I, too, really like Jackie’s post and Gayle’s comment. Freedom is precious, and I appreciate it in my life and in my writing as well.
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Hurrah!
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Freedom is never really “free.” We have to constantly make sure our freedoms don’t slip away or get chipped away in little pieces here and there. Good piece, Jackie!
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I wrote something about freedom and read it to my wife. She said she has the freedom to tell me that it wasn’t ready yet. (She’s right on both counts.) –Jim
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Maybe save it till next year, July 4th?
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Beautifully said Jackie – and Gayle and everyone. I feel truly blessed to live in this country today – where we have the freedom to live our lives. As a transplanted American, I am proud to celebrate this birthday of my newly adopted country. One July 4th, I saw a red London bus travelling down Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. On the side it said: “Happy Birthday America – love, Mum!”
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It’s true there are few constraints on what we can say and write, and none on what we think. I worry about how deeply divided our country appears to have become, but I can’t imagine living anywhere else and I’m deeply grateful for the freedoms we enjoy. I hope that those on both sides of the argument can come to realize we have more in common than that which sets us apart. Thoughtful post, Jackie.
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Your post made me think about freedom in a new way.
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I’m grateful to live in a time and place where I have the freedom to think and say what I want. Most of my characters aren’t so fortunate. However, I recognize that freedom, along with any right, comes with the responsibility to use it wisely and never take it for granted.
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