Happy 4th of July! (Stock Market Closed Today)
The stock market is closed today in observance of the 4th of July holiday. The 4th isn’t until tomorrow, of course, but we like to observe holidays by closing things down. And perhaps that is just as well. After yesterday’s 223-point disaster for the Dow, it’s probably a good time for a break. Perhaps the long holiday weekend will perk up investors enough that they will be ready to make a credible rally attempt on Monday.
So, while we have no new stock market news today, I thought it would be a good time for reflection. As always, our holidays and observations are often lost in celebrations that tend to leave us forgetful of why we are celebrating in the first place. This is a good time to think about the beginnings of our nation, and to consider what we are doing today to make it better. Most of us citizens will probably never put our lives on the line for our ideals. (Military servicemembers do it all the time, however, and for that the rest of us should be grateful.) However, there are other things we can do to be good citizens. And we should try to be good citizens.
What “patriotic” and “good citizenship” mean are subjective. To me, it means being informed, trying to live a good life, being involved in the community in some way, exercising my rights and teaching my son to be a good citizen. To you, it might mean something else entirely. However, it is a good time to reflect on what you think good citizenship entails, and then try to make a plan to live out your idea.
So, take a minute to reflect on what made those who came before good citizens and consider emulating some of their qualities. It’s the perfect time for it.
Happy 4th of July!
