Every Fourth of July, you'll find me relaxing at a luxurious condo on Singer Island, near West Palm Beach, Fla. Perhaps I'll be wading in a clear aqua sea as warm as bathwater, or deliciously languishing beneath the sun on the soft peach sand. You might find me parked under a poolside cabana, stretched out on a lounger with a new book in hand, taking long sips from a tall, icy beverage. If not there, I'll be splashing in the pool with my sons, responding with applause and laughter to a thousand requests of "Watch me, Mom!"

My only responsibilities - besides making sure that none of my offspring drown - are to make sure our dinner makes it to the grill on time, and that we're all slathered with enough sunscreen. It's a tough life, but somebody has to live it.

These precious few days of freedom are the cherry on top of my year. I thank my parents for organizing our Palm Beach reunions each summer. I cannot tell you how much we look forward to it. Not only is it great to be with extended family for a few days, there's something special about celebrating our country's independence by freeing ourselves from the ordinary burdens of life at home.

Maybe it's because I'm tired from having just finished a week of VBS at our church, but I feel particularly ready to get away from it all today. Or maybe it's my lingering disappointment over last week's Supreme Court decision, and it juxtaposed against Independence Day, that's got me down.

For what it's worth - about two cents, I'm told - I don't deny that something needs to be done to overhaul our health care system. I just don't think that this is the way to do it.

My oldest boy studied the Constitution in history last year. You know how it is with kids; you wonder how much knowledge they retain at the end of a school year. But he's made me proud by engaging me in some insightful conversations about our liberties and responsibilities as U.S. citizens. We've talked about how valuable those things are, and how important it is to take a stand whenever any person or policy threatens to chip away at them. His concern and that of his friends - Will H., I'm talking to you - gives me hope in our nation's future.

American flags, patriotic clothing and the few yellow ribbons still displayed around town hold a bit of extra meaning for me as the wife of a veteran. I know that the relaxation I'm going to enjoy this week is part of what our forefathers fought for, and what our soldiers still fight for today. I don't want to ever forget that, nor allow my children to take it for granted. Every soldier and his or her family have given far too much to take our freedom lightly.

Every year, our July 4th celebration ends on the beach. The sky is midnight blue, the horizon dotted with tiny sparks of red and yellow shining from distant ships. It's always at night that I find the rhythm of the waves most hypnotizing. Moonlit foam crashes ashore, then the sea recedes, the foam dissolving as a new wave chases from behind. It is an enchanting visualization of what happens to my mind while I enjoy my fleeting days of vacation. Waves of peace slowly wash away the clutter of everyday life, and carry all my worries out to the deep, dark sea.

I'll watch my children play on the shore, their faces glowing in the light of their sparklers, pausing only to watch the brilliant fireworks booming overhead. But it seems that every year, as I sit out there on the sand, my mind is drawn to the memory of other beaches, like Normandy, where louder explosions on much darker nights secured our right to play free. And the joy of the moment is coupled with the solemn reminder that everything we enjoy comes at a cost to someone. May we never forget to be grateful stewards of this gift we've been given.

Kari can be reached by email at kari@kariapted.com.