Gratitude and Respect

On this day, December 6th, the Finnish Independence Day, I am filled with gratitude that I was born in a free country, that my grandfathers' generation sacrificed so much and fought in the war to ensure that Finland stays free and independent. My parents' generation paid for this also, being children during the war years and suffering from scarcity. Some of the lessons of the sacrifice have rubbed on me too, although I never had to feel that there wasn't enough of food or everyday necessities. I have a lot of respect for the people who built up Finland after the wars into the prosperous country it is today, a country that is advanced on so many levels - education, technology, infrastructure, freedom of speech and expression, environmentally conscious, safe and secure, democratic with real opportunity for anyone. America has a lot to learn from Finland, if only they would understand to look...

Happy Independence Day Finland!