THE THOUGHTS ON THE 4TH OF JULY - repost

     "Oh, say, can't you see?.." 
Well, its a good question! Every 4th of July Taka waits until about 8 o'clock in the evening and then herds us into the car, and off we go, to watch the fireworks. Only, the trouble is, we never can find a good spot to, actually, see them. In a true spirit of the American independence, we don't go to where the crowds of more pragmatic people gather. We look for a lonely hilltop that would be all ours. We found a lot of lonely hilltops over the years, but never did see the fireworks yet. Time to time, we would catch a few dying sparkles in the sky,  before  turning back home. So, - no, to answer the question in the first sentence of this post, - we "can't see.." Not really!
          "All men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". We are all created equal. A few thoughts about that. 
     Number one: created. Number two: where are those liberty and happiness? There's no question: this world does not match the ideals expressed in the Constitution. Millions of people not only lack liberty and happiness, but the very right to live comes to them with a hefty price. We were created. We are somebody's creations. We should know, whether that Somebody wants us to excel and thrive or if He (She?) doesn't care either way. The things we do to each other and to ourselves are incomprehensible! If we are all made by the same Creator, we should treat our brothers and sisters differently, don't you think? So, are we all equal? I say, "No!" 

     Shocked? God created us with equal rights, but He (She?) didn't endow us with equal degree of love, tact, brains and common sense. That makes all the difference. Was it a joke? An experiment? Did He (She?) get tired of it, as well as of our stubborn ignorance, and abandoned the experiment to run itself? Or did He (She?) mean for us to balance out each other's deficiencies and strive to achieve a harmony that He and She have within Them? We live and we die and we teach our children the things, we believe to be true. Let's make sure, we, ourselves, think them through and realize, what we want from life and each other. Let's find the balance which will allow us to be truly alive, free and full of happiness. 
     The Pursuit of Happiness. Hey, try and define this! What is happiness? 

     How much time do you have to listen to the answer? The happiness is.. a friend at the door, a child's voice on the phone, a cool breeze after the California heat-wave. Or is it something else? We play the game without knowing     it's rules. The only thing that's clear is, the truer we are to our goodness and the sense of fairness, the closer we are to being on the right side of things. But then, what is that saying: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!" And still, that is the only thing we can do, is to be good and be fair. 
          The day AFTER the declaration of independence. How many of us woke up in "the dawn's early light" in cold sweat, thinking, "What have I done?" Life is scary without the familiar purpose in it . We have to learn  new ways of thinking, talking and walking. Although, I can think of many ways that my old habits (the good ones!) can be helpful. For example, I can do with a little more "do or die" spirit, or devise the opportunities to have fun while doing what's necessary.  

     I raised my kids for at least eighteen years, until they declared their independence. Not independence from mommy's and daddy's resources, mind you, but the emotional parting of the ways. It is hard for me. I don't have my "built-in buddies" anymore. Even when Hanah was home, she and her brother sat in their rooms and watched and listened to the things that they liked on their laptops, MP3 players and IPods. I always knew that the technology will be the end of it all! But how do they feel, I wonder, upon the cold realization that now its all up to them? Ha-ha, not so brave now, my dearies!
     Just kidding. I want them to become their own people. I admire Hanah for her ability to do what she thinks is right, even if her friends and mother don't agree. Good luck, kids, don't wait until the centennial celebration of your independence to call me!