this may come as a shock to some...

Just something I would like to share out of my journal (I'm afraid I got a bit carried away there at the end):

May 8, 2005
I just finished watching a movie about FDR (featuring Kenneth Branagh), in which I discovered that I love this country I live in! I love what it stands for, that all humans have equal standing, a reflection that we are all the same in God’s sight. I love the natural beauty, found at the wide expanse of the ocean, the magnificent national parks, and the quietly rolling fields of Missouri in an early morning dew, with graceful deer gliding across. I love the diversity; although we naturally gravitate towards those who are similar to us, there is so much to learn from those who are dissimilar. I love the fact that there is so much opportunity available to those who work hard. I love the national pride in the waving of a flag, saying that I am glad to belong here.

I guess before I thought that in order to love this country, I had to buy into the bigoted “U.S. Supremacy” idea, that no other place could even come close to comparing. But I haven’t completely swung the other way, saying that the U.S. is perfect, the best this world has ever seen, or that I’ve given up my loyalties to Chile. The truth is, I still love Chile, as a grown child who sees the faults of a parent, realizing that no one is perfect, but chooses to still love them because of gratitude, and all those things that even so makes her smile.

And oh! If I can love the countries of my earthly citizenship so much, recognizing that they are not perfect, yet proudly waving their flags within my heart, shall I not more be able to love the kingdom of my true citizenship? And how my heart yearns within me for a perfect country, without imperfections which must be explained to non-citizens!

Although a citizen, I have felt like an outsider my entire life! Yet one day, people will be able to identify me by my characteristics, knowing exactly where my citizenship lies. And then I will finally have come home!

Oh, to reach with mortal fingers and grasp immortality!
Oh, to dream within a finite mind of the riches of infinity…