100 Reasons to Love the USA

I ran across an article in People with this title, and it got me to thinking...  Why do I love living here in the USA?  Why do I love my country?  There are likely 10,000 reasons why I love our country, but I thought that all together, we could come up with a list as to WHY.

So, I'll start it off, and everyone make your contributions below...  These are in no particular order, just adding them as I think of them.  Please add more!

1. Our National Park System -- Nature at its finest, most National Parks highlight something wonderful and/or unique about our country.  When our good friend A. Mac goes to these places, we get to see WHY they are designated as a National Park-- some place special, kept safe, and protected by the government so that all of us can enjoy them...  I'm thinking of Yellowstone, Yosemite, The Grand Canyon, and Mammoth Cave.  There are quite a few National Parks about, and each one offers some natural wonder in a spectacular way!

All of us, here in the US, live not too far from a National Park, and what fun they are!!!  What scenic vistas!  What lovely girft shops...  (With T-shirts!)

2. In the same vein, our State Park System, run and maintained by the various states, is simply marvelous, too.  Maybe not as wonderful in scale in natural grandeur, most state parks offer a unique view of something that is great about that state.  Although they vary greatly in amenities, (such as camping, golf courses, boating, etc.), each one is a special place.  We visited Johnson's Shut-ins, (MO), Cave-in-Rock, (IL), and Kentucky Dam Village, (KY), last week, and they were each unique and wonderful!  

To find state parks in your area, you have to visit the state's web page, and there you can get detailed maps.  We're quite proud of our state parks in KY, which are said to be of the best in the country...  NY has the most state parks, at over 1,000-- but ours are great, too.  They offer a lot of amenities, such as flush toilets, hiking trails, camping, golf courses, etc.  Come on over!

3.  The Interstate Highway System -- Thank you, Ike.  Frustrated by the lack of roads in Europe during WWII, Ike set about beginning the Interstate Highway system, so that he could move troops as needed anywhere in the US.  This has had many added benefits for commerce, tourism, travel, etc.  The roads are well maintained, and relatively easy to drive, with wide lanes and scenic views.  Ike had a Wonderful Idea!  Now, if they will just quit renaming them...

4.  Our emergency responders --  We don't think about them much, but our EMTs, Fire, Police, and other emergency personnel rush into danger to save us.  Maintained by both federal and local funds, these people deserve our thanks for having our backs when we need them.  I know other countries have that, too-- except for those that don't.  But I am grateful to have them there when we need them!

5.  Bob Dylan-- on a different note, Bob Dylan put a voice to a generation's anguish, and is still very relevant today.  Only in America, could Bob Dylan have grown up and sung to us about so many truths.  He put a voice on what we were all experiencing and for that, I'm grateful.  I'm glad that he grew up here too, in the freedom to express himself, and entertain us...

6.  WiFi.  I know that no one seems to think that WiFi is unique and we certainly have a ways to go to provide it for everyone-- but, how very convenient!  Remember when older hotels used to advertise free TV and phone?  Well, now they all advertise free WiFi, and it is a treat!  Every hotel we stayed in last week had WiFi, that was reliable and gave us a window to the world.  WiFi, in common use, has given us all a way to communicate with one another in ways we could only imagine before.  Now, instead of hauling an encyclopedia around with us, all we need is a phone or a computer, and we can hook up to reliable encyclopedia information, maps, and data.  Then, turn around and leave a message for a loved one!  Thank you, WiFi!

7.  Our education system.  I know, we complain and gripe, but when you get down to it, our education system is a really good thing.  When my grandparents were kids, public education only went to the 8th grade.  If you wanted a high school education, your family had to have the resources to send you.  So, let's all be grateful for free high schools for the masses, and worry about the details on another article...  There is even a push for free tuition at local community colleges, which is happening, (I hope), in KY.  YAY!!!

8.  The ability to VOTE.  It may be the only time that our government asks us our opinion, and it may be that we feel our votes don't count, but they do, and it is a privilege denied in many parts of the world.  At least our government bothers to ask what we think, as opposed to telling us what to think, and that is a true gift.  Let's all appreciate it!

9.  The freedom to express ourselves.  Whether it is via pictures, the written word, music, clothing, or just standing on a street corner, we all have the freedom to express ourselves, peacefully.  What a privilege!  What a right!  Whether or not anyone agrees with your opinion, you have the right to express it!  WHAT a freedom!  It is not an absolute freedom, but within bounds, we can say what we feel.  We can't yell "Fire" in a crowded theater, but we can all say what we need to say to express ourselves, as long as it doesn't endanger others.

10.  Grocery stores.  I know this sounds stupid, but I am very grateful for grocery stores.  They have fresh produce, no matter which country it comes from, there are tomatoes, melons, strawberries, blueberries, fruits and vegetables, all fresh, all willing to be prepared into a meal...  We're not going from shop to shop-- the meat, eggs, dairy products, bread, fresh things are all in one spot.  YAY!!!  Convenient!  And we can all get food there!  It is our choice what we eat-- and we're not limited to bread and gruel.  There is meat there, pre-packaged, and I didn't have to raise it, kill it, and dress it.  YAY!!!  Thank you to our local grocers!

So, what do you love about our country?  Please add your own below-- I'm sure you can think of a lot of things!!!

Thanks for coming by!