Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness...

In my humble opinion, this country is really at a crossroads and I truly believe that when you peel all the labels off the people living here, there are primarily just two kind of folks... those who want to take care of themselves and those who want someone to take care of them.  You might say those who want to take responsibility for themselves and those who want someone to be responsible for them.

The gals and I are of the former mindset.  That doesn't mean that we don't want to be part of a civilized society and community or see the benefits of those things, we just want the freedom to take care of ourselves without infringing on anyone else -or- having others infringe on us.  We don't believe anybody "owes" us anything we haven't earned or achieved for ourselves and we don't hold anything against anybody who has earned or achieved more or less than us.

The acid test for our "gold" is when my wife and I can look each other in the eye and say, "If we had to walk out the door right now with just each other and the clothes on our backs (although, we'd probably take the Bug Out Bags) and start from scratch again, could we do it?"  As long as the answer to that question is "yes", then we know we're in good shape.  It's a matter of priorities and preferences.

A friend from the gun club is miserable in his day job and complains about everything and everyone there.  He says nothing ever changes or gets better.  Lately, I've been feeling somewhat the same way, but ultimately it is his choice to stay there, like it is my choice if I continue my with my employer.  A career change is a big deal and it could significantly affect my family or his, but we've always lived conservatively and well within our means and don't find our self-worth in our material possessions... well, except maybe for that 1942 government issued Colt 1911A1... so if we have to walk out the door and leave it all behind... we'll make do.

When you work for someone, you owe them an honest day's work for an honest day's pay and when either party isn't getting that, then it's time to go your separate ways.  Now I know there are truly unfair and even criminal situations that occur, but that aside... it's ultimately our individual choice as to who or what we let control or take care of us.  I think many older generations took care of themselves rather than relying on someone to take care of them. 

We've been blessed with so much these days that many folks think they're owed something.  The right to a college education, the right to a house, the right to a car, the right to healthcare...  Like our forefathers, I believe that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights and that doesn't include a free house and free healthcare, but the freedom and liberty to exercise those unalienable rights without infringement.  An example in our case is using a gun for self-defense in case someone wants to infringe upon our right to life.

There may not be a strong coherence to this post, but I've had a lot on my mind this week and as a father of a daughter who is a junior in high school and looking at career choices to help her make her way in this world as she will be enrolled full-time in college during her senior year of high school.  I'm just considering the country we live in, where it's headed, and what my daughter's life may be like in the future as she doesn't expect to be given life, liberty, and happiness, but instead exercises her unalienable rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness...