A time to celebrate American independence

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our American heritage.

No matter who you are and regardless of your politics (or whether you couldn't care less about politics), if you're an American, Independence Day is a time to celebrate.

It was 233 years ago that the 13 original colonies declared their independence from Britain.

The Declaration of Independence told Americans at home, the world at large and King George and the British Empire that there was no going back.

America was breaking the chains that tied it to colonialism.

Our forefathers are credited with two incredible documents that have stood the test of time: the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Both stand as permanent reminders of who we are and the ideals that guide us.

From the Declaration of Independence are these immortal words:

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.

Those words are as relevant today as they were 233 years ago.

To children, 233 years are an unimaginable amount of time.

To adult students of history, it's a mere slice in time.

Harder to accept for middle-aged and older Americans is that 33 years have passed since the nation's bicentennial in 1976. To many of us, it doesn't seem that long ago. Time, indeed, does fly.

If you have a U.S. flag, display it on Saturday. If you can, enjoy a fireworks display.

Our country may not be perfect. It is, after all, still a work in progress even now, 233 years after it began.