Thank you for my freedom to read

Today, the 11th day of the 11th month, is Veteran's Day, a day to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and the men and women who served our county - fought and sometimes died - to give us those freedoms.  Many of my family members, colleagues and students have served, and I am proud of each of them for what they have done, and continue to do, for our country.  I am forever grateful to those who serve.  

 For the rest of the year, instead of reflecting on my self-improvement project (I don't have a lot to report about it anyway) I will reflect on a freedom I enjoyed during the past week.  And maybe something about my self-improvement project.  But mostly I want to do this small thing in tribute to the men and women who have sacrificed so that we all can enjoy both the small and big freedoms that make up our lives in this country, and that others in other parts of this world do not.

 To begin, I finished reading, for probably the dozenth time, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  The freedom to read material of our choice is perhaps one of the most important freedoms we enjoy in this country.  I know that many people wouldn't consider Harry Potter the best use of that freedom, but the miracle of this freedom is that I get to make that choice, too.  I enjoy Harry Potter, I love creativity of the story, and I can choose to read it as many times as I want to - or I could have chosen to never read it at all.  And I can watch the movie based on the book if I want to.  Reading literature in all its forms - fiction or non-fiction, children's or adult, mystery, fantasy, romance, whatever - opens us to all kinds of possibilities.  This is one of the freedoms I am most grateful for, and every time I pick up a book, I remember all of those who have fought to give this right to me.

 Freedom is never free.  To quote the song "Some Gave All," which, despite the fact the artist is Billy Ray Cyrus,  is the song that says it best: 

All gave some and some gave all
And some stood through for the red, white and blue 
And some had to fall
And if you ever think of me
Think of all your liberties and recall
Some gave all


































































































































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