American Independence - Don't Take It For Granted

Today is Independece Day, where we celebrate with fireworks, hot dogs, baseball, apple pie, and beer. But as Americans, we should take time to cherish our Independence. Most of us don't really appreciate or take for granted what it means to be Free. I know I didn't until I met my friend Irwin a little more than ten years ago right after I moved to Orlando.

Irwin moved to the United States with his wife and two children from Venezuala. We met through our kids, who played on the same recreational soccer team and we soon became good friends. Irwin was a kind man who would go out of his way to do you a favor and never asked for anything in return. One of the few people I have met who is truly unselfiish. Irwin is the same age as me and when we met, he was working at McDonald's unloading the morning delivery trucks and working in maintenance. One day, I asked him how his family came to America and that is when he told me his story.

Irwin used to work as the CFO of a major Venezualian Corporation during the Hugo Chavez dictatorship a few years prior to when we met. He was also a skilled piano player and played in his church. In the late 90s, early 2000s, Chavez was crazy enough to believe that the United States would attack Venezuala and wanted every male to sign an oath of loyalty to him, which also meant that without warning you could be drafted into the army. Irwin refused to sign and not only was he threatened with jail time, but the Dictator would put his Wife and pre-school aged children in jail as well. Irwin knew he needed to move his family to a safer place where his kids could grow up and be what ever their hearts desired and most importantly, live a life of happiness and freedom.

Irwin had close friends, who belonged to a Christian Church in Orlando. The only way to get Irwin out of Venezuala was for the Church to ask for assylum for Irwin and eventually his family. The Church told the American Government that they needed a piano player for their congregation and Irwin was their "Piano Man". Irwin came to the United States first and then his wife and children followed.

Irwin told me something that has stuck with me for a long time. He said that he would rather work at McDonalds for the rest of his life if it meant that he and his family could be free than to make good money as a CFO in Venezuala and live in fear. Irwin went on to fulfill another dream of his; becoming a real estate agent and owning his own real estate agency.  Irwin and his family wound up moving and unfortantely over the years we lost touch, but I will never forget his courage, kindness, and how he made me realize how precious our freedon is.

May God bless Irwin and his Family and May God Bless the United States of America!