Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Independence Day: Living in Haiti


What does it mean to you?   Waking up this morning, knowing friends and family in US will have the day off to celebrate in so many ways- a day at the lake; family picnics and parades, baseball and apple pie, fireworks- even watching Tour de France Race and across the land there will be political rallies, it seemed like a good day to ‘blog’.
For me, today is a regular working day.  It is the same for Andy, Jake and Craig who are here. Another volunteer coming for about 6 weeks is flying in today.  We are fortunate Americans that have the freedom to live and work without repression, without fear, without hunger.   Not everyone has that same fortune. Not in US, not in Haiti and not in many other places for sure but it is a day to celebrate and reflect on what this day stands for: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.  Written over 200 years ago, do people still find it relevant?  Is it appreciated for what it means?

Life in Haiti, though certainly not easy, is not horrible, scary or unbearable. Obviously, or I would not be here.  It has given me the opportunity to meet people from all over the world working not to make money but for something that enriches my life in a different way, to expand my experience on a daily basis. 
The support of family and friends gives me the liberty to follow my heart and be happy. 

As a nation, we have come a long way but in this political year, it seems we still have a long way to go to live up to the aspirations of Life (equality), Liberty (humanitarian), and Pursuit of Happiness (hope).  

I wish all that for you and for a safe and happy day on this 4th of July wherever you are in this world. 

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