Thread: 4th of July, 2011

I've been living "overseas" for many years now, but I have to say that America is still
my country, my home. I grew up in the midwest, I spent my teenage summers in Maine,
and I spent most of my adult life in California.

I got a university education there, I worked all over the place for a time, and I ended
up having a career as a firefighter/paramedic, from which I now receive a retirement
income. I am grateful for that.

After I retired from the fire service, I moved to Tonga, where my wife was born, and
we have made a life here. Nevertheless, I never for a moment thought of myself as
being anything other than an American.

There are other Americans here...6 Peace Corp kids...and tomorrow we will all gather
for a 4th of July BBQ, to celebrate the birth of the United States of America.

I'm sure that we all have doubts and concerns about what is happening in America
these days, but the fact remains: we are Americans, we want the best for all of us,
and we hope that despite the political devisiveness that plagues our nation these
days, we will remember that we are all fellow travellers in this life.

We owe it to each other, in America, to celebrate the precepts of our founding
fathers, and to persevere in the movement towards freedom, justice, and equality
for all.

Happy Independence Day!

Paul