Thankful Thursdays {It's Not That Bad}

I read the news everyday.

Online.

I don't get the real newspaper anymore.

Don't have to.

I get it delivered to me - straight to my inbox via email and since I work for a government entity I get to read all about the local and state governments goings-ons.

Sometimes the news aren't all that great.

Sometimes I don't want to read them at all.

Do you feel that way too?

I just want to shield myself from the world and just craft :)

"But it's important to be involved", I tell myself.

Otherwise, this place, this great country of ours, would go down in flames, so to speak.

"Well, it's technically not YOUR country", the little voice in my head tells me.

Well you see, I'm an immigrant.

Yep. The dreaded "I" word.

Green card and all.

No, not an illegal ((shudder)).

But you see, I tell the little voice, this IS my country.

I'll let you in on a little secret.

Anytime we're at a public event, especially when I'm with my children, and I put my right hand over my heart, and I see them with their hands over their little hearts, singing the national anthem....I tear up. Yep. Big sap, that I am. Tears start to flow and drip down my cheeks. I try to act all non-chalant about it and quickly wipe them clean. But I get all choked up when I hear that national anthem.

It's MY national anthem dang it!

Source

I've been living here since the age of 8.

I was 8 years old when I first said "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands..." with my heavy Spanish accent.

I was 8 years old when I learned about the American Revolution.

I was 8 years old when I first colored the coloring page of George Washington and the cherry tree.

I was 8 years old when I participated in the Abraham Lincoln pageant and learned about him being shot. And I felt sad :(

I was 8 years old when I learned about how people vote here in America through my Social Studies teacher.

Source

Source

And now 30 some years later, I serve MY country as a public servant, diligently, ethically, faithfully.

And I read all about the shenanigans of congress and what goes on in the public sector and shake my head.

But it's not that bad.

We still have our freedoms.

We can still write about it, right?

And isn't that wonderful?

That I can express my opinion here on my little blog and still be ok.

This is my country.

And I love it.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who cries at the National Anthem...