1 More Series - Freedom Pt 1

So our Constitution celebrated another birthday recently and I've been thinking about where we are as a nation. By 'nation', I don't mean the political United States but rather the people. I did read through some parts of the Constitution again and it just floored me how far off track the country has got itself legislatively. But if you want to hear bitching about that there are a lot better places than here. While reading the 200+ year old document I admit I did pine for a governing system that looked more like what was intended, but my heart truly ached for the people of our country. Laws come and go, and some laws (most?) are not even legal, but the condition of the people are the true barometer of a country. Where are our hearts? Spirits? Minds? Where is our strength?

As I make sloppy, rushed attempts at blogging, tweeting and still sloppier attempts at being a husband and father I'm alarmed by how much of my life controls me. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I feel as though the things I've allowed to be set in motion socially, financially, vocationally, creatively and politically are now demanding more of me than I can give...and not even on my terms anymore. I've created a monster, and the monster is the story of my life. When I die, I'd to speak better of my life than, "Whew, I'm glad I kept up with that for as long as I did...but I'm glad it's over." Screw the Joneses, how many of us feel like we're trying to 'keep up' with our OWN lives?

And all this hamster-wheeling in the most free country on earth. What for? It's as if we think of freedom like we think of money: have more, spend more; I've got so much that I CAN do with my life I'll go ahead and do it ALL. And in the melee of satisfying wants, living up to expectations, providing for needs, and simply participating in the culture...we've forgotten who we are. As a nation, as individuals...we've lost our identity. And as one of my favorite bands puts it, "You do it to yourself, and that's what really hurts."

So how do we lose our personal freedom in a country that prides itself on liberty? How does this loss of personal freedom lead to a loss of political freedom? [Spoiler Alert: We BEG for it.] These are some of the things I'll be discussing in the next few blog posts, along with a shot in the freakin' dark about how we can STOP the bleeding and get some of our freedom back. [Spoiler Alert: That's the whole reason I do 1MoreDay.]

For now, though, this.

1 More Backfill

Well, I hope 'I'm sorry' cuts it. I've been without reliable internet access for going on two months now, so the blog has suffered greatly. If you aren't the forgiving type, let me bribe you with a blog series. I'll be doing the next few entries on something that underlies the core philosophy of 1 More Day...Freedom. Yes, It's Constitution week and I'm going to go America all over your asses. We'll be staying mostly in the philosophical realm as I want you to just get thinking about the gravity of the issue, allowing you to draw your own practical conclusions and formulate action steps that are unique to your life. Until then, allow me to explain my absence.

My family and I decided to suddenly move 700 miles south. We moved from the Ohio Valley to the Low Country of South Carolina. As my wife puts it, 'I traded a mansion in the city for a trailer in the woods.' The biggest reason for our move was as a big step toward building our homestead. SO, we'll be keeping you up to date with our progress and hopefully you can learn a lot from our mistakes. For example...

Mistake number one: inadequate education as to the different wildlife present in our new location. They have what the locals call 'March Mosquitoes' down here. Just when you thought mosquitoes couldn't get any more annoying, they get bigger. Here's a normal mosquito that happened to meet its maker on my windshield right next to a giant marsh mosquito. There ain't enough DEET in Monsanto's tanks for these babies. Til next time...