It gets me every time

I am proud to be a US citizen. I am not always aligned with the decisions and policies of my government and certainly some of what I refer as to the 'ills of society' that manifest themselves in our culture get under my skin. Still, when you put it all together and look at the multitude of benefits that we enjoy as a citizen in the United States, it is pretty easy to come to the conclusion that we are among the most fortunate in the world.

This is on my mind today for the obvious reason that tomorrow is the 4th of July. As I started to think about what this holiday represents (besides the very nice fact that it is a 3-day weekend and I don't have to think about anything work related until Monday), I realized that I can be categorized as quite the patriot. I like seeing the flag waving. I like saying the pledge of allegiance. I like hearing the Star Spangled Banner, in fact, I cry every time that I hear it sung...it gets me every time.

I think that this could actually be categorized as one of the things that no one really knows about me, but we will call it an endearing trait. I actually discovered this phenomenon a couple of years ago when I started doing events regularly. Just about every run, triathlon or biking event are started with someone singing our national anthem. It is not always the best rendition that I have ever heard, but sung with a lot of heart. I have actually tried to not tear up, but there is no fighting it, it just MEANS something and makes me feel proud too. Again, I don't agree with all of the policies and practices of the US government, but I AM darn thankful that I am a natural-born citizen!

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!