It would be easy to simply throw our collective hands in the air and cancel any sort of festivities this year.

Luckily, we live in a community that is getting good at taking life’s lemons and making some tasty lemonade.

Kudos, then, to Alicia Gatto and her husband, Bob, for organizing a socially distanced Freedom Celebration for July 4 in Warren. Thus far, the event includes a live-streamed 10 a.m. reading of the Declaration of Independence followed by an 11 a.m. motorcade procession from Jones Chevrolet in Starbrick through Warren.

No, it won’t be the Fourth of July parade to which we are all accustomed. At the same time, we could have nothing this year. It’s wonderful that concerned citizens are leading an effort to find ways around COVID-19 restrictions to keep one of our most treasured traditions alive.

Given the unrest in our nation, this year more than any other in recent memory we need to be reminded of the high ideals upon which the United States of America is founded and the unity of effort it required to establish our country. Our celebration may be muted this year, but perhaps a muted celebration will help us treasure the good things about our great nation.