Chirol’s 4th of July Thoughts

As my 4th of July comes to an end, some 4,600 miles from home, I want to share a few short thoughts with our readers. While a joyful day for many of you, I always can’t help but me a bit disappointed in being so far away. The fireworks, barbecues, baseball games, flyovers and more are always a special time. Living abroad, one comes to appreciate the value of people over geography. One of my best friends, I haven’t even met on American soil, despite us both being Americans but instead in half a dozen other countries. Yet, while Christmases at home remind one of the importance of family, the 4th of July remind us above all of our bigger family, namely the United States.

While one may have objections, criticisms or outright arguments about politics, social issues and more but at the end of the day, family is still family and I wouldn’t trade being American for anything in the world. Realpolitik and self-interest aside, it says a lot that today in 1776 we were fighting for our own freedom and today in 2006, we’ve moved on to doing it for those who can’t do it for themselves. To forget realpolitik and self interest would be naive, but to dismiss our actions for the same reasons would be equally so.

A happy Fourth of July to everyone back home!