July's Vue from the Trenches

What is the American Dream? According to Wikipedia, the idea of the American Dream is rooted in the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence which states that “all men are created equal” and that they are “endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Maybe the question should be what is your American Dream? What is the happiness that you choose to pursue?

I choose to find happiness all around me. My happiness lies in Sunday dinner with my family, picking up my niece from school and taking her to the park, snuggling with my Monty dog and throwing the ball for Maddux and road trips to a different ballpark every weekend with my boyfriend John. Then there is perhaps the greatest happiness of them all ... finding that fabulous pair of designer shoes that you have been lusting after, half off and in your size!

I think we all dream of finding that which makes us happy. I am proud to say I am living my American Dream.

Father's Day

There is a rather popular Twitter account online in which a young man documents things his 74-year-old dad says. He is up to 1,342,725 followers and has just published his first book. If I would have known writing down things my dad says would make me rich, I would have started years ago!

Fathers seem to love to give advice to their children, and my dad is no exception. Some of his best ones are:
• “You can’t expect to soar with the eagles if you stay out all night with the owls.”
• “You have to know where you’ve been, to know where you are, to understand where
you’re going.”
• And my personal favorite, “Ask your mother.”

And even though the man is full of advice and one-liners, I think I have learned more life lessons just by watching him. Dad, you have taught me to lead by example, to strive to make a difference and to be thankful for the blessings I have in my life. Happy Father’s Day, Dad. I love you, Huntie! PoV