The "American Dream"

I went to work for two weeks cleaning 3 Verizon stores at night with a girl named Gabi. She is from Mexico; she came here trying to get into BYU Idaho.  Well, as I was working with her we talked about a lot of topics: dating, guys and people that come here to the U.S looking for their Great American Dream and as I talked to her I began to wonder what is that American dream or why do they come here to the US looking for it . 

So, I have thought it out and well, way back when the founding fathers came, they were looking for that dream and that dream is to have freedom of religion, freedom to make their houses and keep them and live freely and comfortable.  Well, I agree and I am grateful that they went out looking for those things especially religion because as a Mormon I believe that they were inspired just so that we could have the true church of Jesus Christ restored on the earth and be free to worship what we wanted. 

But, what about now? Where is the American dream that all the people leave there families to come look for it?  As I know, most every country have the freedom to choose their religion and they are free to work as they please and most every country are free to receive care at a doctor’s office or hospital for free or very little money. They are free to eat organic foods and sell their products outside their door without having to pay so much money to make that happen.  And they are free to build their house for as cheap as they want and it is theirs forever.  Now they come here and they aren't free to own their house because they have to pay for it for 30 years or more. They ended up paying triple of what it is worth. And if they don't pay the last month because of an illness, it doesn't matter what they have already paid they take it away and they are left without a house.  If they don't have money to pay for their sickness, they grow bigger in debt because they are not free to receive free health care. Even with medical insurance the payments and medicine are the most expensive in the world. Without health insurance the medical care payments are just unbearable. If they don't have enough money to buy good and healthy food they are not free to eat healthy because healthy food cost more.  Trust me I know, I went to go buy an organic chicken and paid three times more that for an inorganic chicken. 

In Mexico, Checo’s grandma has free organic pork, beef, chicken, and turkeys, also eggs, milk, guava, oranges, and bunch of other fruit and veggies.  She also lives stress free because she owes nothing to anybody.  Now isn't that freedom and the true American dream.?  

I lived in Mexico with my husband for 2 years and we have been living her in the U.S.  for almost 3 years and what I have to say is that in many ways we felt more free in Mexico than we do here just because we had a house we didn't have to pay on in Mexico. Even in our moments of economic struggle in Mexico we lived without so much pressure and stress about not having enough to live on as we do here and here Checo makes decent money but there is much more we have to pay and spend and we eat inorganic foods. 

Don't get me wrong I am not saying that Mexico is perfect or other countries are better than the US, but what I am trying to say is that I don’t understand why is it that a lot of people come here thinking that they are going to find their American Dream here in the US when they can so much easier find it in their own countries now.  

I just don't understand how working here without most their families and working illegally will give them their American dream. I don't have anything against people that are here illegally, I just don't think they are better off here than they were in Mexico. What I don't understand those that have the opportunity to come and get an education here and see the good and could take it to their countries to help progress the people there, would choose to stay illegally here afterwards and not going back to share what they have learned.

I believe that people like Checo's grandma that live worry-free because don't have a mortgage payment over their shoulders for 30 years, represents the true American dream. Checo's grandma's children came to the USA looking for the American dream and they don't have anything close to what she has. They can't afford to get sick because they take the risk of getting evicted out of their apartments plus they are always in fear because of their legal status. Their children grow with very little self esteem and identity problems. Therefore I think that the American dream is an illusion that attracts people that didn't realized they already had it.

Optimism in the face of cynicism

 I am reading or starting to read this book called standing for something by Gordon B Hinckley and it's really good.  My husband is a reader and he recomended it to me so I have decided to read it and I am not a normal reader because sometimes I start backwards so I started with chapter nine because of it's title and I felt that is what was happening to me.  So, anyhow, in the chapter the author says that "we should stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight, I am suggesting that as we go through life, we accentuat the positive. I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult adn sarcasm, that we more generously compliment and endorse virtue and effort."

So I got to thinking how true that is, at least I noticed that it was happening to me very often lately. I have been very cynical at times especially about politicians.  Then I read a part in the chapter where he says that "rather than making cutting remarks one to another, could we not cultivate the art of complimenting, of strengthening, of encouraging? What wonders we can accomplish when others have faith in us!"

As I read that I realized how true it was, it reminded me of mom. Not my biological mom but yet a mom to me because I lived with her for a few months while I was trying to figure out my life.  I remember how I would come home late at night and she would wake up and we would have late night talks and there is not one time that I can think of that she wouldn't compliment me or encourage me.  It was such a strange feeling at first because although my biological mom was a great mom I don't remember ever really getting so many compliments.  I know it was because of her that I was able to find the wonderful man that is my husband. Had it not been because of her I just might not have recognized him or actually felt I deserved such a great man.

Because of her I accomplished something in my life that I just know I couldn't of without her encouragement or her good remarks.  Lets not be so cynical and look for the bad, it only damages us and we hurt others through our remarks. I remember that the words of encouragement and the confidence that mom  she had in me made me feel worth more than I thought I was worth. She helped me to realize that I had something to offer to others as well.  Those words of encouragement helped me make the right decisions at the right times.  I know that I am guilty of being so cynical and I feel that I been more cynical this past year than at other times in my life. Perhaps it is because now I am not so naive and see more that there is a lot of bad in the world. But I know that it is only damaging me, I am more angry at the world and seems to me that in some way  I take it out on my family.  I hope that I haven't damaged others through my cynicism.

I just had a thought since I am writing this for the public to see I  would like to make a promise to give up my cynical remarks and focus on the good that others have to offer after all most of us have good to offer we are children of a Heavenly Father.

Introduction.

Hi, my name is Marion and this is actually the first blog that I am writing so please give me an oportunity to share my experiences in life and I would hope that you would share yours.  The reason I have decided to write a blog is because often times I find my self too tired to think or ponder about life.  You may ask why, but for those who know me they know I have three little children to tend to and they are a little under a year in a half apart so they require a lot of  tending to. Not that I complain but it is exhausting having to tend to them all at the same time I don't know how the grandmas that had 10 could do it.  Anyhow so I have created this blog so that I give my self time to ponder.