RoslynReynolds.com

Freedom Isn’t Free

Posted On Monday, July 5th, 2010

Under: Losing a loved one, Patriotism, Service

I remember standing on the top step of our elementary school stage, singing that song with all my heart at our annual musical patriotic assembly. I loved those songs, and I can still remember some of the lyrics:

“Freedom isn’t free,

Freedom isn’t free,

You have to pay the price, you’ve got to sacrifice,

For your liberty.”

My father was an Air Force pilot, and flew combat missions in the Korean Conflict. My mother followed him from base to base as he served in the military, and he retired shortly after I was born, so I was the first of their children to live in the same house for my entire childhood.

Moving constantly wasn’t easy – but my parents willingly made that sacrifice. They were serving their country.

Dad taught us to stand and place our hands on our hearts whenever the flag went by. He was very precise about how we were to treat the flag, too. We always had a flag in the front hall closet, and it was flown in front of our home frequently.There was a specific way to fold it when we were putting it away, and if it wasn’t done right, we did it again.

There were eight of us kids when Mom and Dad would take us on trips around the country, and we’d always stop in at the homes of men Dad had served with while he was on active duty. I loved listening to them reminiscing about the missions they’d flown together, their commanding officers, funny things that had happened, and then, about their buddies who didn’t come back from missions. There was always a painful pause in the conversation when they started talking about that.

I would always think, “What about their families? What happened to them? I’m so glad my dad came back.” I would wonder what it must have been like to be raising a family while men were going away to serve, never knowing for sure if they would return.

That was almost fifty years ago. Now, I see men in my own neighborhood in uniform, leaving for extended periods of time to go across the ocean to foreign lands. It is happening again. And, again, I wonder, what about their families? What will happen to them?

I cannot predict – but I know there are some things I can do to help. I believe in prayer. I can pray for them and their families. I can let them know I am thinking about them and keeping them in my prayers.When I see a soldier, I can tell him thank you, and let him know that I realize he is making a sacrifice that not every man would make.

I can strive to be informed, and to pray for our leaders to make wise decisions when it comes to what our servicemen do. And I can live the best I can, and influence my children and grandchildren to live the best they can, so that our world will be a little bit better place, and so peace will reign in just a few more places. Because I believe that every place there is peace blesses the world. If we want freedom, we have to live to deserve it.

A people without morality, without self-restraint, without civility, and without faith do not deserve the freedom they claim. And it will not come to them, because after all, freedom isn’t free.

True freedom is only found when morality, self-restraint, civility and faith are in place.

May we all live to see those virtues re-enshrined in the hearts of the people in this great country. And may that begin today, as we each commit to live them better in our own lives.

Freedom isn’t free.

Let’s pay the price.

To Freedom!

-Roslyn

1 Comment to Freedom Isn’t Free

Leave a comment