Freedom, Friendship, Blessings

Today I am struggling, not with my quilting but with my thoughts.  Do I write a blog about the uplifting 4th of July.. Do I say I went to a Tea Party Celebration of the 4th of July, Our National Independence Day?  Will I lose friends over saying that there were some remarkable speakers in attendance..

Yes, there were a variety of people from our community in the mountains and the Valley, some just brought their kids for the water slide... It was hot and they had fun.. But many came to hear the speakers talk about our beautiful country and celebrate together,  because we can. They were not all political, but spoke about remembrance of where we All came from, of the heroes that showed us the way. And the heroes that are loosing their lives to keep us Free.

We gave Thanks and we continue to give Thanks to these brave families.
 
My fear is that with the coming elections, people will lose life long friendships because of a difference in our thinking regarding the Presidential Election. We can't let this happen.

One of the speakers is a man that I had not heard of before.  I don't live in a shell, but for some reason I had not heard him speak.. Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson. 

He has a radio show and has appeared on T.V.  His talk was mostly on rebuilding the Family and our Country. Aren't we a family?

He has written several books,, all were sold by the time we got to the booth, but can be ordered.
This is not a commercial but a suggestion to listen to all sides, to get an understanding and to share with out anger.
I looked up the word Friendship in the Wikipedia:

Friendship is a relationship between two people who may or may not be family members.

Friendship is:

The tendency to desire what is best for the other

Sympathy and empathy

Honesty, even in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth.

Mutual understanding and compassion; ability to go to each other for emotional support

Enjoyment of each others company

Trust in one another

Positive reciprocity — equal give-and-take between the two parties

The ability to be oneself, express one's feelings and make mistakes without fear of judgment.

I am sure you can add to this list.

These are my thoughts for the day.. off to the studio,, may you enjoy lots of sunshine, and hug a friend.