appreciating America
thinking of our friends in afghanistan
makes me realize
we have it so good.
reliable electricity
plumbing, groceries, transportation,
diapers, coffee creamers, running water,
freedom to be creative,
inventive, loud, offensive, kind
access to doctors,
medication, swabs, cotton balls, kleenex
clothes i want to wear – i can cover my head if i want
or
not!
i can name a stuffed animal anything i choose
and not get arrested.
our children have every opportunity
they can dream of at their well-groomed (when we think of it)
fingertips.
they can paint, sing, draw, cut, glue, tie etc…
whatever their imagination
fathoms.
they aren’t beheaded for wearing a
skull and crossbones, cross or star of david.
the holes in their clothes are by design
most because they designed it (w/o parental knowledge)
we can go anywhere we want without guards
we can cook in a microwave anytime of day
we light candles for ambiance
not necessity
i LOVE America
chill platform 
I have thought of these same things. I often wonder how we got picked to be born here in America, while so many others have been born into horrible conditions (poor human rights, no food, water, shelter, med.). I recognize we have sad things here in the US, too. It makes me feel responsible for those people. I feel the need to be careful with all of my ‘stuff’ and to not hold it too tightly….and to share. Still trying to figure out how I fit into the ‘responsibility’ part.
I know, we are so, so blessed… Today we wrote a letter to our sponsored child and Ethan said, “I want to talk to him on the ‘puter!” When I told him he doesn’t have a computer, and probably doesn’t even have electricity, he was quite confused. They just can’t imagine. And really, neither can we – even if we’ve lived in their midst for a time, we always have a way out.
our kids and i had a discussion about “by the grace of God” we were born americans. also…we were born in this time period – in-door plumbing, cars, phones, etc…i can’t really understand or imagine the privilege it is, nor do i want to take it for granted (i know i do) the fact that i’m USA born and raised.
yes, i think about this too. how i don’t appreciate the little things as much as i should. but sometimes of a morning as I’m getting ready, i do say to myself “God, thank you for hot water”. Thank you for your words and reminders Calana!
I just read a yesterday and it falls under this theme with an interesting different twist. http://www.prodigaljon.com/words/?p=153
I really like the story of the Kenyan boys and marbles.
after we’d been in China the two weeks, i nearly kissed the ground at the Minneapolis airport.
true dat, sista. true dat.
I listened to an NPR interview with John Piper after the Tsunami. NPR was interviewing five different religious leaders from Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Catholicism and Buddhism (I think these were the five). Piper’s answer to the question of why bad things happen to innocent people was something to the effect, “it is not a question of why it happened to others, but why did it not happen to me.”
hrsj – glorious hot water! i think of you and melanie-pearl…two of the most creative people i know …and appreciate your freedom of creativity and expression.
mel – i too am so glad you’re back. …”and i’m proud to be an american…” ok i’ll stop there. 🙂
chief – neat story. i do think God is just and treats His children fairly. i like to think He would have knelt down, gently touched each boys head and told them to love each other. then they could decide to deal with the marbles accordingly.
todd – profound huh?
Was thinking yesterday that we even take our mail for granted. I know it gets pilfered in Bolivia and probably does in Afghanistan as well.
That is great poetry in a prose flattened world. (brueggemann’s phrase not mine) Very well done.