The phrase “We the people” has become a ubiquitous phrase associated with any number of grassroots causes in America.

Hearing those three simple words makes us feel a little patriotic, perhaps even a bit defiant and invincible.

But make no mistake, we the people of the United States of America are not perfect.

We the people make mistakes; we disagree; we squander resources; and we sometimes act childishly.

But despite our warts — perhaps because of them — a group of pretty smart fellows sat down 225 years ago and hashed out a system of government which provides order, flexibility and made “We the people” a lasting symbol of America’s basic tenets.

When our Founding Fathers wrote the U.S. Constitution, their aim was to provide a living document that would stretch, grow and change through the years while constantly guiding the country to stay on a common path.

They far exceeded their goals.

This week our nation celebrates the 225th anniversary of the signing and official adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

The document’s significance is found in its longevity, but also in its establishment of a rule of law in our country, a federal government with supreme national power and systems of checks and balances through a separation of powers.

Each of those concepts is a grand idea; together they form a rock-solid plan for our republic, a plan whose authority was derived by the authority of its own — we the people of the United States of America.

God bless the Constitution and may it continue to serve our country for another 225 years.