My wife, M'buti, will be celebrating along with the rest of us here in America: celebrating our Nation's Independence and just what it means to be an American: FREEDOM.
But July 4 also marks another special occasion for her--for July 4 also marks her one-year anniversary as an American citizen.
I don't think I shall ever forget the look of pride on my wife's thin face. I stood in the courtroom, watching the naturalization ceremonies for approximately 30 immigrants who had taken the naturalization exam and were ready to be sworn in as America's newest citizens. My wife was on oxygen that day (as she was feeling rather lightheaded), and she was in her wheelchair; but she didn't care how she looked, for she was just bursting with pride at becoming a citizen of the United States of America. She was wearing a white tee-shirt with a big multi-colored firework on the front, and she was all excited, especially when the judge presiding over the ceremonies gave them all tiny American flags and had them recite The Pledge of Allegience. He then told them that they were now officially United States citizens. As M'buti recited the Pledge of Allegience for the first time, her high, thin voice cracked with pure emotion, and tears of gratitude coarsed down her thin face. After she recited the Pledge of Allegience, M'buti bent down and lovingly kissed the tiny American flag she held in her hand.
I knew my wife wasn't feeling her best that day, but she was too happy and too excited to care (although after the ceremonies had ended she ended up passing out when her blood pressure bottomed out). Of course seeing her on the floor scared some people, but I took it in stride, and I proceeded to care for my wife until she came out of her fainting spell.
Of course she was more than embarrassed. She was, in fact, quite mortified, and it took a little while before I could calm her down. She was quite upset. (I really didn't blame her; if I had been her, I would have been looking for a hole to crawl into!)
Now it is a year later, but July 4 this year is quite different than last year. We didn't have to worry about terrorist threats or people like Osama bin Laden, and we didn't have to worry about things like tightened airport (or other) security mesures, and we certainly didn't have to worry about buildings burning and then crashing to the ground after planes had purposely run into them. But we are AMERICANS, and this is what the terrorists want: for us to be fearful, and to bow to their terroristic powers. So we are going to do the OPPOSITE: continue our lives being as normal as we possibly can, even when the times are anything BUT normal, and show them that we will NOT be afraid. We are a courageous people, us Americans, and we will fight for our freedom, just as we have always done throughout history.
M'buti certainly isn't letting the terrorist's threats get to her (although hearing about it on the news DOES make her turn nauseaous, for she lost a dear friend to a terrorist attack last year on September 11--Stephanie Green died when the Twin Towers collapsed); she is trying to ease her worried mind by raising her now-2-year-old son (he just had a birthday a week ago tomorrow, on June 26) and taking care of her man (ME). She is a very good wife and mother, and she makes sure that we have what we need. I try to do my best for her by being there when she gets scared or worried and just reassuring her and letting her know that things are going to be okay.
I just hope that M'buti's brothers back in Kenya can become American citizens too--Africa is having her problems, too (all of the world is, really), and we both often worry about them, especially since AIDS is so prevelent there in that part of the world, and there is so much civil unrest there. Now, Naiser can care for himself with no problem, but Keserian knows little of the outside world outside the village he resides in, and just about all he knows is raising cattle for a living. He knows very little in the way of English as it is, and besides, there's lions and hyenas and other dangerous animals lurking about, ready to make a meal out of him if he isn't careful. I worry about that....At least HERE in America Keserian and Naiser can be what many people here seem to take for granted: BE FREE.
A short story of mine was included in an anthology of short fiction by fourteen of Port Town Publishing Company's authors. It is out of print and no longer available except as a download. Contact me at charlenetess@yahoo.com if you want it.
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