Today is the 4th or July,Independence Day!

We celebrate our freedom with picnics, parades ,barbecues and fireworks. It is a coast to coast celebration. For me however, the 4th of July serves as a reminder of something else, something that happened on the 4th of July ,1939. It was on that day the Lou Gehrig gave his infamous speech at Yankee Stadium,his luckiest man speech. 
With all of the other festivities of the day, I always find time to think about his immortal words. They inspire me to look at my own life . When I do, I understand exactly what he meant.I think about my friends, my family , my colleagues and my loved ones.I think of all of them and I now that I too am the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
I think about my family . The respect and love and devotion that we show to one another. I think about my friends, who support me who stand with me and by me and encourage me on a daily basis.I think about all that I have in life. A roof over my head,food on the table and a pillow to lay my head upon each night.
I think of my community that embraces me, protects me and provides so many opportunities for me.
When Mickey Mantle was honored on Mickey Mantle Day at Yankee Stadium, he commented how amazed he was that a man like Gehrig, who knew that he was facing the end of his days,considered himself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.
Most of us would bemoan our inevitable fate.It's only natural when faced with imminent death.Not The Iron Horse.He instead took this date ,on such a grand stage, to proclaim to the world, that he in fact was the luckiest man on Earth.
Every year on the 4th of July,I always seem to find a moment in time to reflect on those words. They make me take a step back. They make me look around. They make me hold my life up against that standard set forth on that memorable afternoon in 1939.They make me take stock of my life and ultimately I have no other recourse than to accept the fact that I too can consider myself the Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth!