July 5, 2011

YESTERDAY
(whilst I lay in the bath)

When I need to think, and often just because, I take a bath... Yesterday being the fourth of July, I was carefully considering whether or not to spend time watching fireworks with Stephens family. But mainly I was focused on why we celebrate this holiday.... and also if people are actually celebrating our freedom or just fireworks and hot dogs? Of that I cant be sure, but I know where my inclinations tend... 

So laying in that hot murky water, as I often do, I prepared a speech for my family... One about why we are celebrating and why we should remember just how free we are, not just today, but every day of year. These things we take for granted are things millions of others can only dream of... While I can take a bath to relax and mull things over, others wash in buckets of filthy water... They are not free, they are persecuted, famished, uneducated, and scared.... I (and we) have to be more conscious of these things. Oh, and also act accordingly. 

These are things I hope to change about myself. And I hope everyone else might change along with me. I frustrate myself, because no speech will ever be given to my family, nor any one else for that matter... I wish I could be a catalyst for change, but instead I cower before others.  I mean, these things tend to piss people off a bit. No one likes to be told they are making bad decisions. 

BUT HEY, WE ARE MAKING SOME REALLY BAD DECISIONS... 






















2 comments:

kate said...

According to our local news, 62% of Americans don't know why we celebrate the 4th, nor do they know who we gained our independence from. So sad. And what does that say about our education system?

The Oak Leaves said...

Man, that sort of blows my mind... I guess I'm just lucky my mom has always been very interested in our history!