:::OshnSoul:::

I am thankful I live in this country. Happy birthday, America

This year, however, I want to spread the wishes of peace- not just throughout the nation, but all over the world. Yes we live in a privelidged country, yet that makes us no better than the rest. In fact, in some ways, our country has lost its meaning of freedom and independence. Through the years, we have foughten against terrorism, created more laws (many which are for petty reasons), and stirred hatred across the world. I give respect to our country and what our forefathers and historical leaders have helped give us, but we are in a time of struggle and turmoil, and we cannot think that we hold no responsibility for the condition of the world, for we must reflect on where we are today as a society in the world and see that a lot of what we have been doing to attempt to bring peace is not working. Starting now, let us realize that we have the power, even as individual citizens that we can bring forth a new approach to the way of living- understanding that America is not the only One Nation Under God, but that all countries, all people, are created equally and that the world as a whole can be free from the strife that we face today. Blessed be every person that walks this earth- even those who are lost, even those who are sick, even those who choose to commit crimes- for if we realize that if we want the world to be in better shape, that we must start with changing ourselves. See what we are doing that is nto working and find another way. We are all able to do this, it takes open minds and free spirits to know that we are all one race and that we all can be free and happy. Erase hatred by stop hating, erase killing by stop killing, erase fear by stop fearing, erase seperation by stop seperating. It all starts with us as individuals, and it is time for us to see that there IS a new way. How do you want the world to be for you in 10 years, 20 years, and for your children and your children's children? Make the choice now. Reflect on this question every day in every interaction, every thought, every action.
Pride conceals the opportunity to grow and increases seperation, while Peace reveals the opportunity in everything that we do, and increases our understandings of each other and of ourselves. Here are a few quotes to ponder as we celebrate the birth of our country:

What we think, we become.
--Buddha

Be the change you wish to see in the world.
--Ghandi

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.
--George Bernard Shaw

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
--The Declaration of Independence

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
--Abraham Lincoln

sadistikdreams

HAPPY THE FOURTH TILTED FORUM PROJECT!

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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
-Lin Yutang

hearts, by d.a.

crow_daw

Well how about a little 4th anecdote?

I had a pretty eventful holiday. I went to this big party my girlfriend's aunt and uncle had. Her uncle spent 500 dollars on fireworks, and I must say, it was a rather hellacious show. Afterward, my girlfriend and I went back to her house and had a big ass bottle rocket war with her dad, her little brother, and her cousin.

Twas all in good fun, until she snuck up behind me and tried to nail me with one. She missed, but I silently vowed revenge. She then later said Time Out cause she was crossing over a creek or something. Well when she got a little closer, I lit one up and timed the toss perfectly. It went right across her face, grazed her forehead and put a little bit of ash on it.

She was pissed.

She locked herself in her car(after a few good seconds of mindless incessant screaming and running), and refused to speak to me. I finally got her to get over it, but that was sorta the end of our little Bottle Rocket skirmish.

So yeah, my Independence Day was good.

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"We each have a star, all we have to do is find it. Once you do, everyone who sees it will be blinded." - Earl Simmons