Gratitude Thursday

You know, I really am grateful that I live in the United States.  Now don't get me wrong, the US isn't perfect.  Far from it in fact.  There are a bunch of issues that we need to get together before we can really be the great nation that we want to be.  That we claim to be.

BUT - when I think about the other countries that I could have been born in, the US doesn't seem as bad.  In a lot of other countries, as a 27 year old woman, I would be married with half a dozen kids by now.  I would be my husbands property.  It's possible that I wouldn't allowed to go outdoors without a male relative with me, or would have to be completely covered.

I am able to shout my opinions from the roof top (if I'd like) without the fear of being thrown in jail or even coming up missing.  I can have this little space of the internet without censoring anything that I don't want to.

I can worship any way I choose.  While not everyone can understand my choice or even like my choice, I still have the option to choose.  Without being condemned or disowned by my family or killed for it.  To me, that is pretty cool.  I can find faith where it makes sense for me without having to pretend to be something I'm not.

All in all, the US may not be the super fantastic country that we've aimed to be.  But we could be a whole heck of a lot worse.  And I for one am grateful for the freedoms that I have.