America. Land that I Love.

I love the 4^th. I love the cook outs and fireworks and laying by the pool. I love wearing red ,white, and blue, and going to baseball games. I love being an American. This 4^th of July will be slightly different. There won’t be fireworks or a baseball game or a pool. I will most likely watch the new spiderman movie and make some hamburgers. Luckily, I have an Indian friend who isn’t Hindu so he eats beef. And as for red, white and blue…I have a captain America shirt that can be worn. Putting together my little fourth of july celebration as always makes me as always proud to be American. Loud and Proud. The American way.

This year though more than proud, I am grateful-- grateful that I grew up in a place that allowed me so many opportunities that I didn’t even realize half of them. Things that I didn’t see as blessings but rather givens. Of course, I was allowed to play soccer as a girl. Of course, I had air conditioning. Of course, I knew my birthday and had parties. I think the ‘of courses’ are starting to become an epidemic in America. The feeling of entitlement is overwhelming. Entitlement helped bring about the economic crash by people buying houses they couldn’t afford, and entitlement is in the forefront of the health care battle. I am not trying to start a political debate –that isn’t the point—the point is that everywhere you look in America (right, left, red, blue) everyone thinks they are owed something or deserve something more. I think this 4^th there should be more time spent looking at what tremendous blessings Americans have been given as a result of the Home of the Brave. Rather than being proud this year. Maybe we should be humbled by the fact we are American.

Humbled by the thousands of men and women that believed in America so much that they gave their life to have this country.

Humbled that our founding fathers prayed and looked to something bigger than themselves when designing our constitution.

Humbled to know that we can argue and disagree and say what we wish about the government without consequences

Humbled that our judicial system works and doesn’t -years after a case was filed- convict and impose jail sentences on people who are already dead from old age.

Humbled that voting actually means something, and no candidate gets 104 percent of the vote…

Humbled that despite economic hard times, the American dream is still alive and no person is condemned to a certain spot in a social system based on birth.

Humbled that you can choose who to marry and when you want to get married.

Humbled by the amount of education that is available

Humbled the electricity works as does the hot water

Humbled to have an actual bathroom to wash in rather than the street

So while laying by the pool, or donning red, white and blue, remember all the blessings that come with being an American and show a little gratitude to what has been given rather than focusing on what ‘should’ be given.