The Pants of Freedom

America in 2008 is a great place to live because I can wear pants. That's right. Be they tight, loose, sweat material, or pleather. I can wear them all. This is one of the freedoms that not only makes me inordinately happy that I was born in this day and age, but that I was born in this country. I've heard that they have pants elsewhere. And indubitably they do. Though not everywhere. At least, they are not everywhere accessible to women.

Getting lost in the problems of the big picture can distort our reality. Shape it into something negative. Finding joy in the small can reinstate our faith in today. We are free in so many uplifting ways. I don't have to wear twenty pounds of undergarments to be socially acceptable. Can choose from a world's worth of food variety within the vicinity of my home. Can look the way I choose, and as we live in a PC world, no one can be mean to me, because I'll just sue them. Sweat material is in now so I can go for as long as I want without putting on real clothes. 

I am blessed with the ability to order over a hundred different types of coffee drinks, fried foods, and varieties of slurpy. I can walk down the street without ever worrying about being stoned. I'll takes annoying hoots and hollers from construction workers over that any day. If my date is a jerk I can throw a glass of water in his face, pretending like I'm in the movies. Or show affection in public. For that matter, I can show my face in public. 

Seemingly unimportant freedoms have merit. Add up to create a greater landscape of freedom. It does not stop at these. In the words of Peter, Paul, and Mary (and other folk artists since they all seem to sing the same songs) "Let freedom ring". I would add, and let it grow. Freedom is not stagnant - it should forever be increasing. So speak up when you see it contract and open it back up. Nurture freedom and one another. Revel in your good luck. Wear pants.