I love going to Boston and listening to the Pops… not for the music… or the 100k+ friends that come too… but because it’s the banks of the Charles… where Washington and the troups stayed before staging the taking of Boston… When Sam Donaldson would read the Declaration before the concert would start I would always get chills… this is where it started.

Several years ago, while working for Pfizer, there was another person with the last name of Babyak show up in the global adresss book. She is a researcher in Moscow. Every 3rd of July she would send a nice note wishing ‘your country’ a happy birthday and include a story about how her world had changed in the last year thanks to a new trinket or TV show or even sometimes a new freedom they had that came from America. We have never figured out if we are related… but I always think of her both this week and just before Eastern Orthodox Chrismas / Easter… oh have we had laughes about ‘my xmas’ vs. ‘your xmas’… but that is a different post.

May we all have a safe weekend to smile often and remember deeply!

Thank you for this post, and your willingness to share it. Too many times we forget that what we have in this country is because of those who gave of themselves, and lit the light of freedom for all the world to see. It has come at a great sacrifice, but, as with all good things, it also comes with great successes. I too share my thanks to the leaders, men and women, who helped make this country what it is today.

I also appreciated seeing and hearing Red Skelton again, and his very moving rendition of the Pledge of Allegiance.

God bless America!