Each year–actually every day since I was released from prison the U.S. Army in 1989– I try to pause and reflect on what the 4th means, and especially on how our great forefathers and Army troops–our emancipators as it were–secured for us the greatest gift one human could ever give another: the gift of FREEDOM.

With such an extraordinary gift, you would THINK people would covet it like a precious stone, and never do anything to blemish it, let alone have it–gulp–revoked. Is it plausible that one must have something taken away from them in order to truly understand the value of it? That is perhaps the only way I can even begin to fathom the mindset of a young felon.. or a drunk driver… or…

I can only guess those who are willing to trade their freedom in for incarceration–or even death–simply don’t value it; that is, they take it for granted, much like young drivers when they first set about on our roads.

I remember when I first got my driver’s permit. That was back in the days when they taught driver’s ed. in CA high schools. I specifically remember being totally enamored with the idea of operating a vehicle. In those first several months of driving, I never once–not a single time–even considered getting in an accident. It was the furthest thing from my mind. All I wanted to do was drive.. and go fast..

My folks were terrified with the idea of me behind the wheel, so they didn’t participate much in my learning. I ended up learning from some guy I worked with at a grocery store–my one and only union job).

One winter day I went to my Mom’s work after school and she reluctantly agreed to let me drive the new family car home (about two blocks away max), to run an errand. I had my buddy with me.  I navigated a few streets then headed up our snow-packed block at a higher rate of speed (perfectly sober for the record).  Van Halen blared through the little speakers and life was good… briefly…

Before I knew what happened the car was sliding towards a snow bank and the steering wheel wouldn’t respond. I panic’d and–ignorantly–slammed on the brakes.  The car only gained speed, and within a few seconds was on top of the snow bank sliding across it high-centered…. until the bank ended at a residential driveway… at which point our new family car plummeted (crash!) to the concrete driveway, glanced off a tree on the other side of it, and –I kid you not–rolled UPSIDE DOWN into the middle of the street  r i g h t  in front of my house.

What a scene that made.

Van Halen was still playing when the neighbors pulled us out of the car. I was too dazed to turn the key off. I remember jumping out and noticing that the tires were still spinning as green fluid oozed out of the radar and mixed with hot oil to turn the velvety white snow into a  steaming brown slime. There was also smoke and the smell was rancid. My heart was pounding out my my chest.

I immediately ran inside my house and woke my older sister from a nap. “I wrecked Mom and Dad’s car!!”  She was flabbergasted of course. “Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God! Where!? Where did you wreck it?!  Where?!” She was hysterical. I led her to the front window. I will never forget her shriek; I have never heard such a shrill cry again, not even in horror movies.

This incident marked a major turning point in my life. It was not only the end of my innocence, but the end of my freedom to drive (that is until much later when my folks reluctantly allowed me to buy and drive a big ten ton Ford Galaxy).

To this day, 27 years later  (good God we’re getting old, Gen X!), every time I see the DMV’s words of caution “Driving is a privilege, not a right!”  I nod my head in sober agreement, and pause to reflect on that day I destroyed my parents’ prize possession. I’ve lost count of how many times I have apologized to them.  I thank God for letting me off with only a warning that day.

In the final analysis that incident taught me at a very young age that driving is indeed a privilege.. a freedom.. one of many freedoms.. all of which could be revoked in the blink of an eye. It is up to each of us to protect our individual freedoms..  to cherish them.. to thank God for them every day… and never, ever do anything that could cause ours or someone else’s to be taken away.

I wish all of you a Happy Independence Day, and I implore you to stay off our roads if you have been drinking.

Adoring my freedom,

Joe