Bursting with Pride

Living in the United States is something many American’s take for granted. The words life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness seem to become nothing more than words written by a president – and most wouldn’t know which one. I admit I was probably was one of those people. That is, until, I moved to Europe. Now that I’ve lived amongst those who crave everything the red, white and blue stands for, I’ve learned to appreciate what I’ve been given as a U.S. born citizen. I can honestly say, “I’m proud to be an American.”

I wish everyone could experience the absence of home and country. They say you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. And being in Paris, France where there appears to be an incredible desire to mass exodus, it becomes even more apparent how fortunate I am to be able to return stateside.

I know, at any given time, I can board a plane and fly back to America. I can find a job, buy a home and explore the land of opportunity. For many Europeans, it’s only a dream – and one that most likely won’t come their way. I quite often hear, “If only I could move.” The French may be prideful in their ways, but when you speak to them on a more personal level, some expose their true feelings about America and how they’d love to acquire what many in the U.S. under appreciate. That’s why there still exists a lottery for a green card. It many not be worth millions of dollars, but it provides the opportunity for lucky individuals to live in America.

So now I wear my sweatshirts and tennis shoes with pride. I feel a sense of honor when speaking English on the metro. I no longer worry what the French think of my American ways. I’m proud to call America home. And if anything, I wish I could instill a bit of that feeling with those back home who never stop to think about how fortunate they are to live in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and everywhere in between. Because even though they many not know it, there’s somebody out there who’d love to take their place.