Fourth of July

Day began at 9, hopping a train to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, where I volunteer. Spent the morning with various patients/ families talking about stroke, brain trauma and seizures. Made some new friends, shared some advice, hopefully left people feeling as positive as I felt about my day when I left.
Headed back to the hood for some Q, gotta love shrimps off the barbie and finger lickin' chicken!
Back downtown to hang our in Grant Park, where some random dude slapped my ass and made out with me. Oy. Not so hot, although had he been hot, the spontaneity might have made it fun. Sat on a blanket with friends and listened to Gomez; got mashed in the crowd and ended the night with pizza, more good conversation and a chat with an old friend.
I constantly think about how lucky I am to be here, as in, this physical plane, this level of awareness on this earth, but never about how happy I am to be HERE, experiencing that in Chicago, in the UNITED STATES.
As much as I sometimes hate our policies and practices and politicians, our country is amazing and all of the liberties we do have, those which have costs lives and the liberty of others to achieve, those are pretty damn amazing.
This was my most low-key Fourth in a while, but one of the most meaningful.
Happy Independence day indeed!