For The Most Part We All Have It Pretty Good

     Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's an American thing. It is written into our Declaration Of Independence and Constitution. For the most part we do all right. We have a roof over our heads, food, water, clothing, appliances people would not of dreamed of a hundred and fifty years ago (electricity, computers, telephones, automobiles, stoves, refrigerators, toasters, microwaves, TV, heat, air conditioning, and just about anything you can think of). How about indoor plumbing? I have never lived without it. Running water and sanitation. People didn't have those things in the past and some still do not. Just about everyone has access to these things that would have been considered magic in our past as a civilization. 

     These are personal things. How about roads, street lights, public transportation, libraries, homeless shelters, food banks, public health, bridges (how would you like to have to wade every creek or take a boat across every waterway you encounter), Public safety. How would you like to live in a town without a police force? School systems. All of these things just didn't get there. People worked hard to get them established. 

     Our high schools have decayed for the most part to just filter out who is or is not going to college. Fifty years ago people actually learned something in high school. This prepared you for the job market. You could read, write and do arithmetic. Dummies didn't pass and were left to a life of back breaking work. Even if you quit school after eighth grade you could still read, write and do some math. The Educational Act of 1964 dictated that everyone should be able to go to college. It eventually reduced high school to a baby sitter for parents that had other pursuits to work on. 

     So we have another Forth Of July coming up. I have to work. A lot of folks that do not even know what the Forth Of July is about do not care. Even though it is Friday they will manage to make a four day week end of it. The recent immigrants will enjoy the week end that they have no idea of what it is about other then for them to enjoy it. And I will be working to serve them. 

     The people that do not work will take the week end off too. Why not. We do not work anyway. But we will celebrate it. After all it is our country. 

     Also to have a family gathering of people that could care less if they seen each other. As they did on a daily basis anyway. We would have hamburgers and hot dogs burnt to a crisp on a grill. And then throw these large metal objects at each other called JARTS. These things weighed about fives pounds each. they could cut through you and kill you. A Russian invention I guess. Just what to do if you have had some beer. Then about 5 o'clock everything was cleaned up and went home. You did have to go to work the next day. The Fourth wasn't drug out for days. One day only.
     For the most part I do not know anyone who does not have at least the basics to get by. And those who do not seem to do so by their own design. As they choose to live that way. Not entirely, but for the most part.
     We all have a lot more than we realize. We all have less than we want. Most of us live as good as of a life that we live. Reap what you sow you know. Everyone has different priorities, lifestyles, wishes, wants desires, pleasures, ambitions, abilities, mental capacities, physical capabilities, styles, mannerisms, characteristics, height, weight, perseverance,etc. That is what makes America. Or it has in the past. We have to as a nation pull up our sleeves, be nice and do what we do well. Be nice to your neighbor, be nice to the people you meet. Work hard. Make the others know that Americans do not just shuffle by. We do what we do well. That is why people from other places come here. The land of opportunity.
     But please do not mistake the Land Of Opportunity for a land of suckers. Unfortunately we have seemed to evolve into that. I see more people that are unable to do things for themselves. They cannot do the basic thing of telling time. Let's do it. Lock and load. Be nice. Work hard. Have fun in a nice and safe country. If you do something wrong you will get caught. Water seeks it's own level.
     The bottom line is enjoy the holiday. Do not only think of your self. Enjoy the Fourth Of July