Proud to Be An American

Thanks for following, Livia and Roxy!
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I know. It's not the Fourth of July. But do we really need a special day to celebrate our country? I hope not.

The first time I heard the song "God Bless The USA", I was little. Maybe seven? Eight? I don't know how old I was, but I remember hearing it one Fourth of July and getting chills. Every time I hear the song I get chills. Maybe it has something to do with the whole Cultural Honor thing, but I've always had this deep-seated passion for my country.

When I heard the song as a little girl, I remember feeling this fierce, burning love for where I live, where I come from, and how we got here. If I had to pick three things that I value above all else (excluding God), I would choose Freedom, Justice, and Truth--all things that America is built firmly on.

I respect and love my country so much. It's extremely difficult for me to put into words the feelings I have. America is all about Freedom and Justice. The Freedom to make your own choices, and the Justice to keep you from making stupid ones. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in the world.

We Americans fought hard for our freedom. We were patient, but eventually could not take the injustice anymore, and we set out to make our own land, the way we saw fit. People died so that we could be free.

Freedom is such a wonderful, beautiful, precious gift. The Freedom to say what you think, the Freedom to go where you want, the Freedom to talk to whomever you want, the Freedom to question your government, the Freedom to choose your government.

We get to VOTE. Do not take that for granted. One of the things that makes me frustrated and disappointed like nothing else is when people do not vote. Your ancestors fought and died to give you this freedom, and you're just ignoring it? Throwing it away? Way to slap our founding fathers in the face.

Anyway. Tangent XD

I don't know why, but for some reason I just really wanted to share with you guys how much my country and my freedom mean to me. I would love to have the opportunity to serve my country. I plan to. Not in the military (although it's possible that God will call me to do that), but in the courts. As a lawyer, serving Justice.

I really, really, REALLY can't stand injustice.

Sorry. Another tangent.

Before I leave you with these deep, patriotic thought (XD), I'd like to print the lyrics to "God Bless The USA", and leave to the song. The song that started it all :) The song that gave me chills when I was little, and made my little heart swell with pride to be an American. I've tried to voice my feelings in this post, but the song says it all perfectly.

I, Kendra Logan, am proud to be an American.

God Bless The USA by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone,
I’d worked for all my life.
And I had to start again,
with just my children and my wife.

I’d thank my lucky stars,
to be livin here today.
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
and they can’t take that away.

And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

From the lakes of Minnesota,
to the hills of Tennessee.
Across the plains of Texas,
From sea to shining sea.

From Detroit down to Houston,
and New York to L.A.
Well there's pride in every American heart,
and its time we stand and say.

That I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

And I’m proud to be and American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I wont forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,
next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,
God bless the USA.

~Kendra

Freedom

"Star Trek" was so much better the first time. I'm still really confused as to why I was almost...disappointed. *gasp* I don't want to think about it.

Chekov <3

Well, my mom left for *ANOTHER* practicum today. She'll be getting back on Thursday, but I'll already be gone to the weekend camp. I'm really excited about that. I've honestly never been to a sleepaway camp. Yeah. EVER. Sad, isn't it? It's not that I'm sheltered, I just never remember to sign up for anything, lol :)

Speaking of not remembering, I made a list of all the stuff I need to take to camp just to make sure I don't have a brain lapse and forget my tooth brush or something crucial like that, lol! The list is forty things long. Yeah. Forty. And--

OMG, I forgot to list PAJAMAS!

THAT would have a crisis. For me.

Anyway. Sorry.

My sister (Lizzy) and I made up a dance to the song "Arabian Nights" from "Aladin". I choreographed it, and it's awesome, if I do say so myself ;)

Then we watched some of "Aladin", which is, if you don't already know, the greatest Disney cartoon ever made. Just getting that out there.

I'm in an odd mood today. Kind of...hyper-minded and typical-teenaged-girl-y.
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Ate dinner, went to get ice cream, now I'm back. And I'm not in that weird mood anymore, so you don't have to run screaming or anything :) I got a strawberry fruit-juice-pop thing. It was good. I don't ususually like stuff with fruit chunks in it, though, so I was sort of surprised.

I just remembered that today is Word Day! Alright! My word for the day is...

Freedom.

It's such a powerful word, you know? I don't even know how to reach down deep enough to get the full meaning, but, as always, I'm gonna try.

What IS freedom? Freedom is the power to make your own decisions. But it's more than that. Freedom is something we as human inherently crave. Something in all of us wants desperately to make our own desicions, to control our own lives.

There are so many different types of freedom. Freedom of speech, religion, press, and then more obscure freedoms: the freedom not to feel intimidated at school, the freedom to be yourself, the freedom to learn and stretch your mind.

America is built completely on the idea of freedom. America is all about freedom. We fought and died to earn it, and we will fight and die to keep it.

On the other hand, while America is all about freedom and theoretically being yourself, unfortunately its citizens are constantly pushed to regulate themselves. Not by any government inforced law, but just by society itself. I know sometimes I don't feel free to be myself around my friends. I'm sure we all feel like that sometimes. That's where the smaller definitions of freedom come in.

Freedom is all around us, all through us. I'm not really sure why, but it's human nature to crave freedom. And there are so many different types of freedom, which means there are so many types that people can take away, and so many ways to do that.

We need to guard our freedom carefully. Especially we Americans because with the government making more and more restraining laws, I think it's really important that we all maintain a sense of self and of who we are, what we want, why we're here.

Freedom is so important. If it gets taken away...we aren't even ourselves anymore. Freedom is what makes us able to be ourselves. I'm free to be me, you're free to be you. If that freedom gets taken away, essentially individuality will go with it. Freedom is who we are. I think the word and the concept mean something a little different to each person.

I sort of feel like I went on a bunny trail this whole post, but I hope you sort of understood what I was trying to say?

Freedom is everything, but different for everyone at the same time.

What's freedom to you?

For me, I think, it's the power to carpe diem every day--however *I* see fit.