Jonathan is a philospher at heart. He has studied all of the "great" Philosophers of ancient history: Aristotle; Socrates; Plato, just to name a few. When we left the states, he had determined that Americans were selfish people who found their center through materialism and power. The history he believed to be shallow and American pride falsly obtained with the country being only 300 + years old. Don't we all have a way of looking at life and passing judgement on others truly not knowing or understanding the history and grief behind what makes us as people what we are today. There is frustration and anger in people here in Greece over the situation of their economy. Taxes have risen on a continual basis and sales tax presently is 23%. It is a known understanding that the people hide their wealth to avoid property taxes and politicians cheat. Nobody has faith in the government regardless of who is in power. They believe them to be theives and lazy. As part of the European Union, they now have to set a standard to be a member, and this is a change in lifestyle that many are not willing to accept. Portugal, Italy, and Spain apparently are all in the same position.

As I gazed out the kitchen window of this lovely home we are staying in, purchased by an American doctor who happened to be born and partially raised in Greece, it dawned on me that the day was July 4th, Independance Day in America. The day our forefathers stood up for Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. At that moment a sense of pride welled up inside of me. It occured to me that our forefathers truly had the direction and beliefs of the great philosophers. The ones that were run out of the country and killed by the ancient Greeks. I began singing patriotic songs and while doing so, I listened to the words carefully. I imagined the pride that young patriotic soldiers had when they won the war against Great Britain. Obtaining their freedom to speak, to worship as they wished, under a government set up to protect itself against tyranny, injustice, .... I imagined souldiers who for 3 centuries have fought in wars and battles that sent them home, scarred for life both emotionally and physically. Yet still displayed their stars and stripes proudly.

America as a country is young, but are we really? Aren't we all products of thousands of years of education. The Persians, the Greeks, the Romans? A legacy of a multitude of countries. My granchildren are products of Greece, Germany, England, Louxembourg, Scotland, Ireland, and possibly more we aren't even aware of. As Americans our forefathers learned from the history of the past and brought forth to this country a new nation, conceived in liberty..." With freedom to believe and to achieve the pursuit of happiness, whatever that may be. As I interact more and more with the people here, I get the feeling that there is no longer a pursuit for happiness. It is a numbness of acceptance for who they are and what they are. The people who come back to their summer or winter homes, are here to remember. They remember their families, possibly their parents that never came to America, and the family that was left behind. Their roots were severed here, yet planted in America to begin growing and harvesting again. In a "sweet land of liberty..."

As I write this, I know that I am showing partiality. I know that I am passing judgement on a country and people that I truly don't understand. But I also know that I am proud to be an American, ....a "land where our father's died, land where the pilgrims pride from every mountian side let freedom ring."

We had lunch the following day with Christos and Maria. Again the spread. Today we were served chicken kapama made just the way FL likes it. But that wasn't all, added to the table was stuffed squash, fried zuccinni, meatballs, the standard Greek salad, bread, cheese, saganaki, wine, and for desert, galactaboutiko. As I sat in a conversation, understanding nothing of what was being said, I noticed that Jonathan and Chris were discussing something amongst themselves. I joined just in time to hear their comments. That inspite of the sea surrounding every piece of land. Where the seascape is more prominent than skyscrapers in NY, they would take Colorado any day over this. And furthermore, never leave. I chuckled to myself thinking how far we have come. They have come to realize that well-built houses with plumbing that flushes toilet tissue, and roads that are built wide enough to protect you from crazy drivers and turns where you make the sign of the cross anticipating the oncoming car or a pedestrian in the road. Where body odor is not your scent of the day, that maybe America and home did represent something far more valuable than words.