Photo: Jnn13/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same”
–Ronald Reagan

This past weekend, America marked the 238th year of being an independent and sovereign nation. Our nation – a relatively young nation in the scope of time – was founded on the principals that hard work, forward thinking, and a little luck could get any person forward in this life, regardless of their conditions at birth. This idea was so vital to our founding fathers that they installed it in the first published document of our nation: the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Something that continues to resonate with me is one of the core freedoms that I believe is continually taken for granted: the right of the pursuit of happiness. Because we are the land of the free, through the brave, we are allowed to pursue our passions as far as we would like them to go.

We lucky few, who have been welcomed to a country that allows us to pursue our happiness without prejudice or limitations (within reason), are granted a gift that so many more will never even be allowed to fathom. This is something that travel has made me much more cognizant of over time – while there are so many others around the world like me, there are so many more that don’t have the opportunities that we have through no choosing of their own.

The celebrations of the weekend are now coming to a close. On Monday – when I’m sure many of you will read this – we’ll all return to our day jobs (perhaps a little begrudgingly) and start putting our next big goals into motion. These are jobs that many of us were allowed to choose, which will ultimately help fuel that next big goal – be it visiting a new country, or riding there in first class. With so much opportunity to be had, why should we only be grateful for our independence once a year?

So as America begins their 239th year of independence, let’s not forget just how lucky we are to be allowed to pursue this grand lifestyle we have. Why not make a Kiva loan, to help others pursue their life and dreams? Why not volunteer your time, or donate a little money, to help the brave rebuild their lives and dreams? Remember – all those can count up for points and miles as well, with a little creativity.

For everything we have, there’s always one more reason to be grateful. Let’s continue that gratitude for our freedoms by paying it forward.

Ed. Note: The Tagging Miles Sunday Editorial is a weekly reflection of the authors opinions. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, and do not necessarily reflect those of Saverocity.com, or any blogger in the Saverocity family of blogs. No compensation nor incentive was given to mention or link to any product or service in this article.