Freedom Isn't Free

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Today is also the day that my best friend was deployed to Afghanistan. He will be in Texas for a little bit at first but then be flown over to Afghanistan. Dealing with this is possibly one of the hardest things I have had to deal with. There is a chance he many not come home alive. There is a chance he may not come back in one piece. There is a chance that he will be psychologically traumatized by what goes on over there. You never know. 

I was lucky enough to be born an American, where I have freedoms, rights, and opportunities. I think a lot of times we take our blessings for granted. I know I do sometimes. Our rights and freedoms did not come for free. Millions of people throughout history have fought for freedom and given their lives for it, like Martin Luther King Jr. I have been feeling very grateful today for all the people who have made my freedoms possible, and it really opened my eyes to how ridiculous we can be sometimes. People at work today were more concerned about getting a good deal on a snowboard instead of realizing that there are more important things to be worried about, and definitely more important things to get upset about than me not accepting a coupon that expired over a month ago. 

I wish it would be easier to encourage people to open their eyes and realize all the wonderful things they have in their lives. Yeah, nobody's life is perfect, but if it was there would be no room for growth. We go through trials for a reason. We are obviously supposed to learn from every moment in our lives, especially the bad times. It helps make us stronger as people. I know having my best friend in Afghanistan for a year is going to be tough, but I know we will both be stronger people because of it. I can only hope and pray that God will protect him and if it is his will, that my friend will return home safely. And I really hope that he does.