Dear Kid,

Happy Birthday, America!

The Fourth of July is our national holiday for picnics, the 1812 Overture, and fireworks. It is also a time to think about freedom.

There are all different kinds of freedom. There is freedom of speech, freedom from debt, freedom to vote, freedom from hunger…it’s a long list.

With college comes more freedom. Certainly different kinds of freedom. You’ll have the freedom to make choices about how you behave, about who you spend time with, about where you go. You’ll have the freedom to eat ice cream for breakfast or stay up for days at a time. But just because you have the option, doesn’t mean you should choose to act in a way that might make some people raise an eyebrow.

As you move in to a time of more freedom, take a moment to think about who you want to be. Freedom means (equally) the option to choose to say yes or no. (The occasional wacky meal is not a bad thing; eating nothing but ice cream for four years is probably not a recipe for success.)

Happy 4th!

Love, Mom

1812 Overture and fireworks provided for your viewing pleasure.