Independence Day

It's funny how if you ask us what the definition of independence day is we'll say the 4th of July.  It's hard for me to think of anything else when I think of the 4th of July.  And even though I know that each country has it's own date, somehow I think every nation should celebrate theirs on the same day that we celebrate ours.  Maybe that's just my ethnocentric-ness coming through.  

  This flag is MY flag.  Maybe because I don't get to see it very often or maybe because have lived outside its borders, I have a greater appreciation for what it really means and stands for.

  This is the Philippine flag.  They celebrate their independence on June 12th.  It's funny because the Philippines declared themselves free from both Spain and the US but it was not recognized as free by anybody else until the 4th of July 1946.  They used that as their independence day until 1962 when they decided to be different from the US and use the June 12th date.  

  This is the Panamanian flag.  It is the flag of the nationality of 2 of my daughters legally.  Panama celebrates independence from both Spain (November 28) and from Colombia (November 3).  But they display flags for the entire month of November.  

But I remember the first time I saw the US flag after moving overseas.  We were driving down Avenida Balboa and we passed the US Embassy (it's not located there anymore) and I got choked up!  I really am very proud to be an American!  And I am very thankful to those that have fought to make our country free.  To those that have given and are giving of themselves, with so little thanks.  

God Bless America!!