Disclaimer: this post has nothing to do with me wanting to be famous or anything like that. It is exclusively about how I feel about the country in which I live.
I've been told that the easiest way to write is to write about something you love, or at least about something you know. If you get lucky, those two are the same.
I'm feeling lucky.
The current world climate is full of moments that make you think "boy, maybe I am really lucky, I shouldn't take so many things for granted," but how often do you really take that to heart?
Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, market crashes, bailouts, unemployment...these things happen - some of them are worse than others. But through the good and the bad, one thing rings true to me.
There is nothing I love as much as I love my country.
I wanted to write this on Memorial Day when I got home from work, but what happened instead only affirmed my love for all things American.
Someone I know called me because their basement had flooded and they needed some help clearing it out. I arrived to see a veritable militia who had come together at a moment's notice to help out people they cared about. For a full eight hours we carried furniture, carpet, tools, boxes, boxes, and some more boxes out of the basement - the water line on the wall was almost chest deep, I swear on my life.
We took a break as the sun was setting to enjoy some grilled hot dogs and relax for a minute. It was a classic moment to count our blessings: no one was hurt, just about everything ruined was simply material, and there was a family atmosphere among the 15-20 people who were part of the cleanup efforts.
So what does this have to do with America?
It was a holiday. A holiday dedicated solely to honoring those who have fought for this beautiful country. All of my love and respect goes to those who have served, are currently serving, or will be serving in the future to help maintain what I believe is the finest country on the planet.
Sure, the US of A has had some ups and downs lately, but if you can name another country that feels the need to make a flag that's 120x60 yards just so it can fill the entire field during the Super Bowl, I'd be shocked.
We beam with pride about being American, yet we sit around and bash whoever is in charge of the country.
Think about this; the reason we can bash our president and leaders is because we live in such a great place to begin with. Go to China and talk trash about the government and see how far that gets you...and China's a well-developed country.
If nothing else, the freedom to complain in this country is the most utilized example of freedom of speech. Not everyone will be happy with all of the things that we can or can't do as a people, but the fact that we have the right to blog about hating it, or picket on Capitol Hill, or that we can buy shirts like this, in my opinion, makes it all worth-while.
We're arrogant, we think we're better, we're fat, lazy, and we rely more on other countries than we like to let on (not to mention, we allow show's like RuPaul's Drag Race to be on television).
Somehow, we still manage to have a productive - albeit for the wrong reasons sometimes - culture. We had to put a cap on how many people could move here because people wanted to be American so badly. It was the land of opportunity, the melting pot, the home of rags-to-riches. And even if those things have gone by the wayside a little bit, you will never convince me that they're not still possible.
Not a day goes by that I don't thank my lucky stars that I'm a citizen of the United States of America. I think about it when I watch any American sport (or an American team playing someone else's sport). I think about it when I drive past a cemetery and see the flag flying. I think about it when I watch buzzards, hawks, eagles and smaller birds like cardinals fly around the area near my house. I even think about it when I do something as trivial as drive my car to the store, because I'm lucky enough to lead a life that includes a car, a town, and enough money to survive.
Maybe this is preachy, maybe it's not. The point is that there are endless things to celebrate in this country, I just want you to know how lucky that makes you.
If anyone who is involved in the United States Military (offhand that's Coke, BZ, the McDonald boys, older Ski, and surely others) is reading this, my appreciation for what you do and have done goes beyond your imagination.
My name is Kevin Nye, and I love America.
I've been told that the easiest way to write is to write about something you love, or at least about something you know. If you get lucky, those two are the same.
I'm feeling lucky.
The current world climate is full of moments that make you think "boy, maybe I am really lucky, I shouldn't take so many things for granted," but how often do you really take that to heart?
Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, market crashes, bailouts, unemployment...these things happen - some of them are worse than others. But through the good and the bad, one thing rings true to me.
There is nothing I love as much as I love my country.
I wanted to write this on Memorial Day when I got home from work, but what happened instead only affirmed my love for all things American.
Someone I know called me because their basement had flooded and they needed some help clearing it out. I arrived to see a veritable militia who had come together at a moment's notice to help out people they cared about. For a full eight hours we carried furniture, carpet, tools, boxes, boxes, and some more boxes out of the basement - the water line on the wall was almost chest deep, I swear on my life.
We took a break as the sun was setting to enjoy some grilled hot dogs and relax for a minute. It was a classic moment to count our blessings: no one was hurt, just about everything ruined was simply material, and there was a family atmosphere among the 15-20 people who were part of the cleanup efforts.
So what does this have to do with America?
It was a holiday. A holiday dedicated solely to honoring those who have fought for this beautiful country. All of my love and respect goes to those who have served, are currently serving, or will be serving in the future to help maintain what I believe is the finest country on the planet.
Sure, the US of A has had some ups and downs lately, but if you can name another country that feels the need to make a flag that's 120x60 yards just so it can fill the entire field during the Super Bowl, I'd be shocked.
We beam with pride about being American, yet we sit around and bash whoever is in charge of the country.
Think about this; the reason we can bash our president and leaders is because we live in such a great place to begin with. Go to China and talk trash about the government and see how far that gets you...and China's a well-developed country.
If nothing else, the freedom to complain in this country is the most utilized example of freedom of speech. Not everyone will be happy with all of the things that we can or can't do as a people, but the fact that we have the right to blog about hating it, or picket on Capitol Hill, or that we can buy shirts like this, in my opinion, makes it all worth-while.
We're arrogant, we think we're better, we're fat, lazy, and we rely more on other countries than we like to let on (not to mention, we allow show's like RuPaul's Drag Race to be on television).
Somehow, we still manage to have a productive - albeit for the wrong reasons sometimes - culture. We had to put a cap on how many people could move here because people wanted to be American so badly. It was the land of opportunity, the melting pot, the home of rags-to-riches. And even if those things have gone by the wayside a little bit, you will never convince me that they're not still possible.
Not a day goes by that I don't thank my lucky stars that I'm a citizen of the United States of America. I think about it when I watch any American sport (or an American team playing someone else's sport). I think about it when I drive past a cemetery and see the flag flying. I think about it when I watch buzzards, hawks, eagles and smaller birds like cardinals fly around the area near my house. I even think about it when I do something as trivial as drive my car to the store, because I'm lucky enough to lead a life that includes a car, a town, and enough money to survive.
Maybe this is preachy, maybe it's not. The point is that there are endless things to celebrate in this country, I just want you to know how lucky that makes you.
If anyone who is involved in the United States Military (offhand that's Coke, BZ, the McDonald boys, older Ski, and surely others) is reading this, my appreciation for what you do and have done goes beyond your imagination.
My name is Kevin Nye, and I love America.
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