Brothers and Sisters, It seems everywhere I turn these days; someone is complaining about the government, the president, and the country. I understand that these are very hard times and that after losing a job, a house, a car... people have a right to be upset. However; If you will let me, I would like to remind you just how blessed we are to live in America.

Most of you woke up this morning and got ready for work, a job that you have a choice to go to. You will wake up your children and get them ready for school, a school they can attend with no tuiton costs. You make your kids breakfast and spend some time with them before its time to jump in the car. You drive your children to their school where they tell you they love and you and also you to them. You head to your job and work your average day. Leave, pick up the kids and head home. You sit down to dinner with your family and discuss the day. That night, you lay your kids down to bed and give each of them a kiss, finally you and yours can enjoy the rest of the night together with some peace and quiet. You wake up the next morning and do it all again.

Now maybe your thinking... yeah, sounds like an average day. The point I'm trying to make here is that you have choices you can make throughout the day. You can spend time with your family in a safe place each night. You can live your life however you choose to live it.

Look at some countries where (without being too graphic) a man wakes up and is forced to work in a farm field all day where he doesnt earn enough money to even feed his family. Wait... did I say family; he hasnt seen his wife or his children in years because they were split up and forced to work panning for gold or mining for diamonds. The man doesnt know where his next meal will come from, if it comes at all. When that meal does come, it may be a spider or a rat if he is lucky. He lays down at night to sleep and is soaken wet because he is sleeping on the ground under a leaky tin roof and its raining outside. He has no bed, pillow, or blankets to keep him warm. The man thinks of his family that was stolen from him so long ago.

Yet here we are brothers and sisters.... complaining because the money is going to be really tight this year. We wont get that new car, we might have to live with our in-laws for a few months, we wont be able to eat a steak every night of the week.

Now I'm sure plenty of you are thinking... "stupid kid... doesnt know what he is talking about." You know what, maybe I dont understand all the politics in this country and all the bullshit that goes along with it. Lets think about that one real quick... this country runs on a two-party political system. Its a natural setup to have one half of the country constantly fighting with the other. We will have a president that comes into office and tries his best to fix some of the countries problems, then a new president comes in eight years later and says. "Nope, thats all crap." undoes all the previous work and starts over again. Another eight years go by and the same thing happens again. I cant be the only one that sees the problem here. How are we as a country ever going to get anything done when all we do is work against each other. I do know that George Washington was correct in giving the advice "stay away from political parties."

More importantly, I know that I can wake up in a free country, stand proud to say the pledge of allegience if I choose to do so, go to work for a company that I chose in a profession that I enjoy. And most importantly, spend time with my family who I know will be safe in their beds tonight.