The hot days of July bring with them the laughter of children splashing in a pool or running through a sprinkler.

The rest of us slow down to watch, and July becomes a gift as we savor the pleasures of summer.

It's a time for baked beans, potato salad, firecrackers, thoughts of our nation's beginnings and patriotism.

In Utah, stories of our pioneer ancestors who fought prejudice and physical discomfort to find safety in the West are often recounted.

How easy it is to think we know what freedom means, but we take it for granted every day of our lives.

We get up, get dressed and grab a bite to eat. Then we do whatever is on our agenda. What a gift!

As long as we conform to the laws of the land, we have the most freedom of anyone in the world.

Any people who fight for freedom learn quickly it is not an easy undertaking. The Founding Fathers of our nation suffered greatly while fighting for their freedom. We all grew up hearing the stories of George Washington and his ragtag army starving but remaining valiant.

After the war, the signers of the Declaration of Independence had to continue the struggle for liberty with many losing family, homes and fortunes because of their courage.

Our pioneer ancestors did the same. There are many family stories of ancestors being disinherited because of their religious beliefs or of others leaving their family, never to see them again because of the formidable distances involved.

For me, the stories of the Sweetwater rescue of the frostbitten Willie-Martin handcart company of the Mormon pioneers are probably the most poignant.

Gratefully, there have been many others who have also fought and given much to keep our liberties throughout the years since 1776.

For certain, there have been twists and bumps along the way. The Civil War ripped apart families, as well as a nation. Tragic in scope, it was the deadliest war for the United States, but it ended slavery, a huge blot on our quest for liberty and freedom for all.

My friend Patti Edwards tells of walking through an airport recently where she saw about 30 young men in combat gear who were being deployed.

She looked into their faces and realized they were not much older than her grandsons, and yet they were bravely taking up the torch of liberty in our day.

Whether we agree with the Iraq war or not, as Fareed Zakaria wrote in an article titled "Victory in Iraq" for Newsweek, "how we got here is a matter for history, but the democratic ideal is still within reach … In the end, how we leave and what we leave behind will be more important than how we came."

We tend to criticize and ridicule our politicians, sometimes for good reason, many times because they have different ideas than we do.

It would be wiser to be informed — not prejudiced — as hatred divides us.

My friend Patti recently e-mailed me saying, " I feel the biggest threat to our freedom is hatred, because with hatred comes fear, and with fear comes anarchy."

What have you done for your country lately?

If you're like me, it's probably not much except to complain. A politically aware citizen is a strong citizen. Ensuring our freedom and protection from tyranny takes more than a parade, fireworks and potato salad, but they are good reminders — and a lot of fun.

e-mail: sasyoung2@aol.com