Day Two: I am Thankful for my Freedom....

It's Tuesday, November 2nd!!!  Election Day!!!!!  So, it is fitting that today I am thankful for the freedoms that I am granted by living in this great country of ours!  I am thankful for my freedom, my country and the right to vote!!!

I agree with a friend who recently stated, if you don't vote, you can't complain!!!!  I hope you get out there and VOTE!!!!  You will feel so good if you do!  I stopped on my way to work this morning and it took me about 10 minutes...... It was worth being 10 minutes late to work to excercise my right! 

I think I take the freedoms I have living here for granted almost daily. I cannot imagine what life must be like for those who live in anywhere other than this great country.  Lately, I have really beeen examining how I feel about WHERE I live... getting down to even a more local level.....

Now I'm gonna jump on my soap box for just a mintue..... so, bear with me.  ;-)

Many of you who read my blog, live here in Jackson (or around the area), along with me.  I grew up here. Went to St. Joes... JCMS... Lumen Christi... then, left to go to MSU and lived in Dearborn and Ann Arbor until I FREELY chose to return to the area that I grew up in.

I chose to come back.  I was not forced.  I had a job here. A good job.  I liked my job. Scott was working in Detroit, so we lived in Ann Arbor, and do not get me wrong... I freakin' LOVED living in Ann Arbor... but he too, took a job here.... so it made little sense for us to live in a community where we did not work... especially since I was about to have a baby!!!

So, move back to Jackson we did.  And complain about Jackson I do. (who am I right now? Yoda? ha!)  I have done my share of Jackson bashing... yes, some of the people around here are less than stellar.  It's true there is no good mall (let's face it, I judge a town by it's mall) or shopping period.... but lately, I have come to detest that part of me that bashes the very community that provides me and my family money to put food on the table and live this life that I so enjoy living!

Scott and I both work here in Jackson.... for a very large employer of Jackson.... Consumers Energy.  Consumers could easily locate to just about anywhere in the state, and there was talk of the headquarters moving before they built the new office building downtown, but stay they did (I am really channeling my inner Yoda today... can't stop!).

So.... here I live in Jackson.... and we make great money.... and we live in a great house... and we are about to build a new one..... and we are comfortable, content, and our children go to a great school..... and there are REALLY, REALLY great people here too!  Yes... there is a prison... and there are a lot of trashy people... and there are a lot of scary things... and unemployement is high..... and educaction levels are low..... and teen pregnancy is high........

But, what are we DOING about this?  What do I, what do YOU do to help these problems? Do you just bitch about Jackson and call this place that very likely YOU live and WORK and earn money and really, daily CHOOSE to raise your family?  There is no one holding a gun to anyone's head saying we must stay here.  We choose to. We are not in prison... we don't have to stay.

So, on this election day... in addition to challenging you to VOTE... I challenge you to take ownership of your town.  Stop bashing Jackson (even though it can be so easy to do - I know I put myself in this group!) and start lifting it up!  Look for the good..... focus on the good things here!  And come to peace with the fact that you chose to be here and you are truly here for a reason!

So, what is GOOD about living here? What do you LIKE?  I like the fact that the cost of living is low. I can afford to live in a nice home, and I know I won't pay a million dollars for it!  I love the school that my daughter goes to. I love the Jackson School of the Arts. I love the locally owned businesses that stay open against all odds, The Toy House, Anna's, Cork and Cap, and the Lilac Tree. I love the parks.  The Parlour.

But, most of all, I love that my family is here...... and that is the biggest reason, next to our jobs, that we are here.  I like having my in-laws down the road... my brother and sister in law minutes away.... and all my aunts, uncles, grandma and even a cousin or two... a quick car drive away. I love that Luke and Ally will grow up close to some of their cousins.... because I remember getting together every Sunday with many of mine.  Every birthday was celebrated with cake and ice cream and lots of presents, but even more family.

So people... make your peace with where you are geographically.  You're here for a reason too.  Maybe it's your family.  Maybe is a great job.  Maybe you just settled and maybe you truly wish you were somewhere else.  If so, take steps to make the move... but in the meantime... stop complaining unless you're doing something about it.  I promise not to hold a gun to your head.... even though, if you're reading this blog, I must like you and like having you around.  ;-)

We are all free to move about as we please....... grow where you are planted......  :-)