Freedom is precious. Yet all too often, it remains something we take for granted.

Increasingly, with the context of the war in Iraq and the fresh perspective given to the incredibly high price our young men and women in the military willingly pay each day, taking freedom for granted is not an option.

Each year, we celebrate the Fourth of July with a day off from work and time spent with family and friends. And that's a good thing.

But this time around, we should all take a moment to appreciate the greater context of our independence — our freedom — and how fundamental that freedom is to the very core of our democracy.

Regardless of the growing dissatisfaction with the war that seems to divide us, it's important to remember that our core collective values as a nation — freedom among them — stand strong.

Among those thinking long and hard about the price of freedom this Fourth of July is a 29-year-old soldier from Pearl City, who is preparing to leave his 2-year-old son for a 15-month deployment in Iraq.

He has already done two tours of duty in Afghanistan, and he knows he'll miss another birthday, another milestone, away from his young family.

"I believe some Americans do take freedom for granted. Freedom is really not free. It's paid for in blood, sweat and tears. It takes us away from our families, so that we can protect yours."

Now that's a sobering reminder of why, as Americans, our freedom is so very precious.