Love of Country

The week of July 4th always rekindles my love of country. I wore the uniform for 23 years and it means more to me each passing year. This year, I was lucky enough to spend portions of two days each in the great communities of Beech Grove and Lawrence, participating in festivals and parades. I also attended an outdoor party at a friend’s house and my family’s annual reunion down in Martinsville.

On our way back from Martinsville, we stopped in New Whiteland at the Honor Our Heroes event. This is a tremendous annual event just south of Indianapolis attended by thousands. The event honors our military, and our police and fire department personnel. It is organized by many folks but Jeff Cardwell, who is running for City-County Council, is the driving force.

The highlight of the week, though, was the Naturalization Ceremony on Monday July 2nd at the Benjamin Harrison Home on North Delaware. I slipped in the back of the audience quietly. The proceedings were eloquently handled by Judge Sara Evans Barker with just the right mixture of humor and solemnity. My wife became a naturalized citizen in the 1980s in Los Angeles and all such ceremonies make everyone’s eyes moisten just a bit. It really drives home what it means to be an American. If you ever get a chance to attend one, you will enjoy it immensely.

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