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Hello Carolina Country readers! It seems like you guys always know exactly the right page to turn to in this magazine.

Thanks for stopping by once again.

Things have sure changed here on Walton’s Mountain. This school year has come and gone. Graduation was about a month ago on June 4. Now I have graduated and am an adult. To be honest, I really don’t feel the change, but I’m sure once things get started at UNC Chapel Hill, I’ll feel all that growing up stuff.

In other news, Mom is doing incredibly well. By the grace of God, her leukemia has gone into remission. Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and support.

We also had to renovate our home when Mom was diagnosed with leukemia. The mold in our house could have been harmful to her health, so we finally finished up the house and moved back in. We were out of the house since the end of March. I also want to thank everyone from the community who helped with our house. It’s truly humbling to see all the wonderful people who are willing to lend a hand. Anyway, it was sort of tough, but we had a great time staying with family and friends; we had a lot of laughs.

Well, it’s that time of year again. Grills are being cleaned (probably at this very instant), plans are being made, and retail stores all over North Carolina are not selling us any fireworks. (What a shame.) That’s right, my fellow North Carolinians: Independence Day approaches.

This year we celebrate our nation’s 234th birthday. For 234 years this great nation has stood against all odds and overcome them. We have faced wars, depressions, attacks and criticism, but in the end the American spirit has always prevailed. We are a nation built by immigrants looking for a way to live a better life. We are a nation built by the hands of the blue-collar worker trying to provide for his or her family. We are a nation built on morals and integrity. We are a nation built on the belief that all people are created equal, and that all of us possess God-given rights. If that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.

We are all fortunate to call the United States of America our home. In this nation we are not oppressed, nor are we told how many children we can raise. In this nation we are not required to worship and believe as others do. We have the freedom to live without pressure from our rulers. We have the freedom to think and speak our hearts. Basically, we have the freedom to live. If that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is.

As you sit on a blanket and watch the fireworks on July 4th, I hope you can reflect on a wonderful life here in this great nation. As you drive across our state line to try and grab some fireworks (I won’t tell anybody, but I know some of you do it), think about how fortunate you have been to call yourself an American. Sure we’ve had our troubles here and there, but there is no other nation like ours.

Happy birthday, America. I pray you’ll have many more to come. God bless our troops who have fought and continue to fight for the Stars and Stripes.

Jacob Brooks was the 2009–2010 national spokesman for the electric cooperatives’ Youth Leadership Council. In June he accompanied the North Carolina delegation of students on the Rural Electric Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. He lives in Alleghany County where his family is served by Blue Ridge Electric.

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