The Reminder

I met a woman the other day from Vietnam, 

I asked her how she liked America.

She told me she liked it very much, 

she told me about her homeland,

she told me how her father longed to come here,

she told me how grateful she was to be raising her children here,

she told me about the poor in her country,

how they are turned away at the hospital for having no money,

how they die in the streets of simple infections,

how they must pay in cash for justice,

how the abandoned children are left to the pity of strangers,

how food is scarce and people are hungry,

how oppression has left her country in shambles,

a beautiful place she says - but not so nice. 

I asked her why she liked America, 

does it bother her when she hears people complain?

She smiled and said she is grateful to live here,

where poor children are fed and don't have to go hungry,

where doctors are there for all who are ill,

where opportunities for all allow her to succeed,

where justice is flawed - but served to all - just the same,

She didn't understand how any person, 

could live in such a wonderful country 

and ever complain. 

When you think of your country,

what comes to mind? 

Taxes? Laws? Scandals? Just Flaws?

I think of this woman, her father, her children,

and I'm grateful that she reminded of the true value of my freedom.