The barbecue grills have cooled and been put away. The parades and musical entertainment have all packed up and left. The sparkle of fireworks has long since faded away.

And still, the red, white and blue colors of the American flag wave on, a sign that patriotism should not be forgotten even as another July 4 holiday drifts into memory.

Each and every citizen should take a moment to reflect on the sense of pride and patriotism they were feeling Wednesday as they gathered with friends and family to celebrate our great nation’s Independence Day.

Now, we all each have a civic duty to try and capture the essence of that patriotism and find little ways to carry it over into our every day lives.

July 4 is certainly a day that is crucial to our country’s past and its future because it symbolizes all that our nation stands for — freedom, independence, tradition and heritage.

The tremendous outpouring of support does not have to stop one day later in July.

This year, perhaps more than any other in recent memory as our nation seems to be more divided than ever, it is important that patriotism lives on in our hearts and in our actions.

Thousands of men and women continue to fight for the very same freedoms we were able to come together to celebrate.

Citizens must keep the flags flying. We must continue to show the support for our country, regardless of your personal views on particular politicians or the government.

True patriotism knows no holidays. It is celebrated year round in every aspect of our lives.

We can all do better to build bonds and focus on unity.

Independence Day will always hold a special place in American history, as it should. But, it would be great to see the nation embrace a mentality that treats every day like July 4, every day like Memorial Day and every day like Veteran’s Day.

Yesterday we celebrated independence and freedom. We must celebrate the same tomorrow and all the other tomorrows.

Michael Caldwell is publisher of The Jessamine Journal and Jessamine Life magazine. He can be reached at (859) 469-6452 or by email at mike.caldwell@jessaminejournal.com.