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5 steps to exercising your freedom this Memorial Day

On its surface, Memorial Day is a time for those of us who are fortunate enough to be called Americans to gather with friends on the back porch and gorge ourselves on home-grilled burgers and mustard-drenched hotdogs while talking baseball beneath a sky filled with red, white and blue bursts from fireworks. But, Memorial Day is much more than that.

It’s a holiday rooted in both respect and gratitude, fertilized by valor and sacrifice. It’s a time for us not to mourn the tremendous loss suffered by those brave Americans who’ve paid liberty’s ultimate price, but to salute their courage and celebrate the simple, burdensome gift they gave to each of us: freedom.

But, what is freedom?

In its purest form, freedom is the ability to make choices. That means each of us has the ability to make both good and bad choices. And if you choose to celebrate this Memorial Day with alcohol, we want you to ultimately make the good decision to stay within your limits while doing so.

Here are a few helpful ways for you to do that:

                •Know your limits. Our Virtual Bar can help.

                •Eat a full meal. As we’ve said before, drinking on an empty stomach is never a good idea, so in the name of exercising your freedom to make good choices, go ahead and load up that paper plate.

                •Drink at your own pace. Don’t let anyone or anything make you feel obligated to drink more than you should or at a quicker rate than you should. After all, that would be an infringement on your independence, which is just plain un-American.

                •Drink water. Have some water between drinks to stay hydrated.

                •Plan ahead. Have smart, sound plans to get home safely at the end of the shindig and make sure your friends have done the same.

Now, go forth into your Memorial Day celebration as the proud, responsible, good-decision-making American you are.

 

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