A July 4th Reflection

The One Freedom No Captor Can Steal 🇺🇸

As we fire up the grills and unfold lawn chairs to celebrate July 4th, it’s easy to think of freedom in terms of fireworks and flags. But this year, we invite you to look deeper.

Freedom isn’t just a national inheritance—it’s a personal revelation.

And sometimes, the truest kind of freedom is discovered not on a battlefield or in a courtroom—but in an 8-by-8-foot prison cell.

The Story That Shook Me

Captain Charlie Plumb flew 74 combat missions in Vietnam. Just five days before returning home, his plane was shot down.

For nearly six years, he endured daily torture and solitary confinement as a prisoner of war. His captors told him he’d been forgotten. That his country had abandoned him. That he would die in silence.

But they were wrong.

In the depth of his suffering, Charlie discovered a freedom no captor could take away: the freedom to choose his response.

Even shackled and bruised, he chose resilience. Even broken, he chose to lift others.

Through a secret tap code he taught to fellow POWs, he built connection in isolation. He exercised daily in an 8x8 cell. He refused to surrender his mind, even when his body was in chains.

The Victory in the Mindset

This July 4th, we remember that freedom isn’t found in circumstance—it’s forged in character.

You and I may not be confined by iron bars, but how often do we imprison ourselves in reactions?

We say things like:

• “They make me so mad.”

• “Work is killing me.”

• “Traffic ruined my day.”

But here’s the truth:
Nobody can make you feel anything. That power is yours.

Your emotions aren’t reactions—they’re choices.

And the gap between what happens and how you respond? That’s where your real liberty lives.

This Independence Day, let’s not just honor our external freedoms. Let’s reflect on the internal ones.

Because if Charlie Plumb could find hope in a prison cell—if he could fight back not with fists, but with faith, connection, and unbreakable mindset—then maybe we can too.

Maybe we can pause before we react.

Maybe we can forgive quicker, love deeper, and speak more gently.

Because our strength as a nation has always been rooted in our courage as individuals.

As you watch the skies light up this 4th of July, take a moment to reflect: Where in your life are you being called to choose freedom?

To choose calm over chaos.

To choose kindness over anger.

To choose purpose over pain.

You have that power. Right now. Always.

And as always, we are Gratefully Serving People Who Love Extraordinary Chocolate—and believe in sharing not just sweetness, but strength.

With love and liberty,

Your friend, Brock 🇺🇸

P.S. If this message sparked something in your heart—if it nudged you to pause, to reflect, or to choose differently—would you share that with us? Drop a comment, send a note, or share this message with someone who needs the reminder. Let’s be the example others need to see. Because when you own your emotions, you own your life. And that kind of freedom? That’s worth celebrating.

Also in Weekly Messages