Celebrating the Freedom to Create

Happy Independence Day!

I am not a history buff, although I respect our nation's history, especially when it comes to the Founders and their genius in creating our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. No other document secures our freedoms as citizens in this great nation. I think people sometimes forget how unique our Constitution is compared to the laws of other countries. I know that I have sometimes taken my freedoms for granted, until I read a news article or see a story that reminds me how people all over the world would love to share our liberties. 

As a writer, I am especially grateful to our forefathers for encoding my freedom of expression as a natural right. I can't imagine being afraid to put words on paper for fear of prosecution. Even though I don't write political articles or controversial stories, I appreciate that any citizen of this country may do so without fear.

I am a fan of many artists, musicians, actors, and other creators who do not share my political views. In fact, most of them swim in a completely separate pool of ideas when it comes to government. However, the artists I enjoy most are the ones who can put aside their politics during a performance. I applaud artists who choose use their creative freedoms to serve their political ideologies, and I choose to exercise my freedoms to consume art through escapism.

​Nothing is more vital than individual liberty.

So as we approach the anniversary of the birth of our nation, I will take a moment to honor those brave men and women who fought for my freedoms, and those who continue to protect them today. I will imagine the courage it took to rise up and declare independence against a tyrannical government so that future generations could express themselves without fear. I will think about the courageous artists all over the world who risk persecution, prosecution, and sometimes their own lives to express themselves, simply because they feel they must. 

America is indeed beautiful. I encourage everyone to exercise their freedom this July 4th, and every day, by creating something new---an idea, a phrase, a painting, a sculpture, a dress, a recipe---anything!

​Live! Dream! Create!