Thankfulness

I don't know how I missed this but suddenly the last day or two I've been reading on other blogs that November has a couple of special things going on throughout the month. One of these is coming up this Wednesday with the Peace Globe, Peace Posts Marathon. I finally got my globe up yesterday after a whole lot of fighting, trying to get my "writing" in there half-way passable. Now, that was frustration if ever there was some! Trust me! Good thing you all couldn't hear all the bad words I was saying as I had to erase and start all over again - and again -and several more "agains" after those two as well!

Two things a lot of folks are signing up for are the NaBloPoMo and its'equivilant in which writers sign up to write a 175 page, 50,000 word novel in the month of November. NaBloPoMo is for bloggers in which you pledge to post at least one post per day during the month. No, I haven't signed up for that -definitely won't be signing up to try to write a novel in a month or I surely would wind up in the "nut hut" as ex-husband likes to refer to places people have to go to try to restore some semblance of their mental health. (I am already often in need of such places so don't have to willing sign up to guarantee a reservation or anything, ya know.)

And there is yet another thing too - and that is for bloggers to try to post something with each post this month pertaining to things for which we are thankful. Boy, now there's a task too! I figure I can think of all kinds of things I am thankful for and such, but do I really have that much time? And, where to start too?

So, with that in mind -where to start - I thought I'd make my first post of giving thanks be about freedom, how much I have of that substance.

First, I am so thankful - really - that I have the freedom available that I can post irreverent things like those silly Bushisms I post every week and not fear being arrested, jailed, imprisoned or even worse as could happen if I were not living in this country. The freedom to poke fun at some of the ludicrous statements the "Prez" has made over the years is something I do very much appreciate.

Other than the confines placed upon me by myself, or through my time spent watching my two little grandchildren so my daughter and her husband can both work, I have the freedom to come and go as I please - provided of course, that I don't infringe on someone else's freedom to do the same, that is.

I have freedom in that I can purchase virtually any goods or services available -provided of course, that my budget will cover these purchases. No one forces me to buy a specific type of clothing or food product or car as there are many, many to choose from in this land that is, indeed a land of plenty.

I am free to attend any religious event I choose too. I don't have to go to a specific church because it is the "church of state" and I can choose not to observe any specific religion if that is my heart's desire as well.

I had the freedom of getting an education too - guaranteed to me by our government unless I was dumb enough to choose not to study, not to attend classes after a certain age, all my classes from grades one through twelve were part of the freedoms afforded ALL of us here. Now, some may argue that this is something not necessarily available to everyone but it is there -it just depends on how much each person wants to take advantage of the opportunity whether they get the "free"education or not. It may not all be equal depending on each person's particular school district, but it is there and up to each person to get the most out of it as they possibly can.

I have the freedom to read what I please, when I please too. Some folks may want to restrict reading materials because of their personal beliefs or whatever, however, the mere fact that I KNOW HOW TO READ gives me this freedom to utilize that ability.

I have the freedom to criticize those who govern us too. I can do this by writing letters to officials if I wish to show my displeasure, or letters to editors of newspapers, or by speaking out at local functions -school board meetings, township or county meetings, etc.

But the biggest freedom I do have here is one I plan to use come Tuesday, November 6th, when I will go to the local polling place and cast my one lonely vote. Some say there is no use in voting because one vote doesn't count and that is true when more and more people decide not to exercise that freedom. But, if you and other like-minded individuals and I all go and vote for the same things that we agree upon -and only a few others vote against us, then guess what - we win! But if I stay home, ignore that freedom of the ballot box, then I lose and maybe because I didn't vote, you lose too you know.

It's a great freedom to have - ask anyone who has never had it available -and it's too big a freedom to let it be ignored.

So -come Tuesday - get off your duffs and go VOTE!

And be darned thankful, as I am, that you can do that too!