kitty pi

Zen and the Art of Independence Day Blogging

I just want to wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July! It's independence day and I think it's important to celebrate our freedom in our own personal ways.

Me, I just folded laundry while dancing and jamming out to the Smiths. Mr. Q is out helping the sick and dying (who don't have the good sense or the common decency to take the day off from dying! ). Jojo is vegetating on the couch, like a good teenage daughter. Private J called yesterday from Boot Camp and said they sort of have the day off.

This year, our celebration will not include our regular walk to the beach to watch fireworks. Every year the drunk and stupid people increase in both number and stupidity (to each his own I guess - if your idea of celebrating is to kill brain cells and act like a complete idiot, more power to you! Just don't hurt anyone else in the process, m'kay?). We are opting out of that and instead we'll be barbequeing something and eating (not 49 hotdogs in 12 minutes like I saw on ESPN this morning - wha? this is a sport?). We will probably hang out and be happy and mellow and know that we are free to do whatever we want (within reason) and light a candle for the men and women who have fought and died for our freedom and those still fighting and not only them but the ones who are still living but are disabled, disfigured or otherwise touched and deeply impacted by the ravages of wars in ways we will never comprehend and their families who also sacrifice a lot to ensure that this country stays free. I know it's not perfect but we really do live in a wonderful place. A land where I can own a personal computer and write whatever I want including run-on sentences and the Grammar Police can't do anything about it! Nor can the regular police come around and say "you can't say that!". We really are incredibly fortunate and it is something worth perserving.

I am taking the day off from complaining and whining about broken shoes, needed car maintenance and bare-ish cupboards. I have more than I need and I am grateful to be sitting here with a family that is beautful and healthy and a with view of the Pacific Ocean that only a small percentage of the whole world is privileged enough to have. We are all lucky in our own ways.

On a different but related note, you may wonder how the title Zen is relevant to this post. It's not really, But it reminds me of a quote I read or heard somewhere that goes basically like this: Zen is not thinking about religion while folding the laundry, zen IS folding the laundry. Being present in whatever you are doing is the easiest way to achieve a sense of peace, y'all. And that's what I wish for you all today - Peace!

posted by Anita at 1:42 PM