Celebrate! It's your birthday America!

thanks to nixxphotography

I want to take this opportunity and reflect on what it means to be American to me.  I spent 18 years away from "home".  Only people that actually have had to live somewhere else other than the United States understand what this means.  It feels like the first day at a new high school day, after day, after day.  Yes, you adjust, you make friends but EVERYTHING is diferent.  You make yourself forget, not want and not talk about "home" but TV, Movies, and Music set off memories.  What does America mean to me?  That I can disagree with the majority, that I can choose to do what I want, where I want, as long as it is legal.  It means that we try to be the best at whatever we want and it means that patriotism is not just another word it is an honor.  What were the things that I related to "home":  Friendly strangers, broken fire hydrants in the summer, hot dogs, apple pie, Bruce Springsteen, the Statue of Liberty, McDonald's fries (I don't care what anyone says, no one makes fries like McDonald's) saying what you think whenever you want (without the fear of being hit) and Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.

When you are feeling that you are not in love with this great country of ours please think of all the things that we take for granted.  Yes, we can be better but we are blessed to have what we have when there are so many others that lack even the essentials.

Happy Birthday USA!  May God Bless You!