Happy Fourth!

Don't ask me how but I've known the lyrics to Lee Greenwood's class "God Bless The USA" for as long as I remember. And I couldn't think of a better day than the 4th of July to share it with all of you. Thanks to YouTube I was able to pull up American Idol, Season 2's rendition for your viewing pleasure since Mr. Greenwood's music video doesn't necessarily represent the United States I love and live in. But that's one of the beauties of living in this country, to each his own.



How much more patriotic can you get?!? American. American and Filipino. In between. Or maybe not in between, maybe I've come to the point in my life when both perspectives co-exist successfully within me. How do I know?  Last week, I was running through YouTube checking out the NY Handog Project's rendition of  Handog Ng Pilipino Sa Mundo (translated, "The Filipinos Gift To The World) and well today, it's "God Bless The USA". Both brought the same feeling of pride. Of connection. Of my identity. And maybe my history doesn't go back to 1776 and I'd probably have a harder time tracing my ancestors through the Smithsonian, but I am an American. Born here to immigrant parents who served in the United States Armed Forces, raising my children as Americans, continuing our history with our roots in the Philippines but our story in the United States.

Cheers to celebrating yours!