thankful to be an american

i thought that it was time to write in defense of america- since i am such a harsh critic of the current political regime. my criticisms of the conservatives have nothing to do with my love of country. on the contrary, it really makes me take a hard look at what i have and what i don't want taken away from me. the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights that is included are more sacred to me than any religious tome. i feel that this should be required reading for every american and that they should take it to heart.

i was really thinking about the 'american dream' lately and what that means. there has always been an abundance of space and open land in america and i think, in part, that that is what has made us unique in the world. many americans today are 'escaping' urban life for suburbia and as a consequence, many of our open lands are being developed- but that is another issue to be addressed separately. anyhoo- our penchant for bigger and better is really the antithesis of much of the rest of the world. what got me to thinking about that was my previous dream of owning my own home.

i have given up that dream for a few reasons: the main one being- i don't need a house. my husband and i own the building that we live in and have a fairly spacious 6 room apartment for 2 people. it is clean now that i am a stay-at-home wife and building superintendent and i really looked at it the other day- and decided it was ok. we have lived here for over 10 years and i know every nook and cranny- as i have cleaned and painted and fixed almost every inch.

it got me to thinking about my life as compared to others. in other countries, i would not only not be able to afford to live in an apartment this size, but chances are my whole family would be living with me and sharing space. my walls may not be freshly painted and it is highly doubtful it would be as warm and cozy as it is now. i would not be able to have my books or extra furniture or big tv-and i would almost certainly not have internet access here at home.

i am grateful for the quiet street i live on and the fact that there are trees and grass and birds that bring a touch of nature into the apartment. i am really grateful for the garbage pickup and running water and flushing toilet. i am thankful that i have a second hand dishwasher and i can go and wash my clothes at my choice of 3 laundromats in my neighborhood. i am grateful to live in a low crime area. and, let's face it, there is no where on earth more beautiful than upstate new york in the early summer.

there are many other things i am grateful for but i really think that we all should understand that we cannot take our lives for granted. we must cherish the relationships we have with our families, friends, and co-workers and above all- be thankful that we live in the land of plenty. we must always remember to think about the fact that there are people in the world who have nothing. this really puts into perspective all of our petty annoyances and gripes. but for different circumstances, it could be you in iraq, or bosnia, or somalia. cherish.