Our Choice

I am lucky to be in the country in which I live. We have the right to be able to say what we think and think about what others tell us. We have many privileges and endowed rights. In most places, we can have and carry weapons. We can go where we want to go and shop where we want to purchase our goods. Along with our rights, we also hold responsibilities.

We do not have the right to use weapons to hurt others. Especially if those others are not harming us. We have a responsibility to speak responsibly. To be truthful, and not agitate people just for the fun of seeing them get irate.

To maintain our freedoms, we need to respect our responsibilities. We must remember that we are here not as an owner of the earth; instead, we are part of the maintenance crew. We are part of a greater society and therefore hold more responsibility.

It is up to us if the things we enjoy and the freedoms we have been able to continue to new generations or not. If we are good caretakers, the rights and privileges will grow stronger and reach out to everyone. If we do not take care of what we have, our rights and privileges may wither and die on the vine.

It is also up to us whether or not freedoms grow or get stifled within fear and jealousy. It is our duty, and a responsibility, to ensure that freedom can reign across our country and our world.  I hope that we can set an example for the good in others to flourish.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof