HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Happy Independence Day Everyone! It doesn’t matter where you come from or where you ought to go, freedom is often referred to as the essence of life. It is the ability to move around, to choose what you want to do or where you want to go. To be able to live any kind of lifestyle you want; and never have it taken for granted.

I suppose freedom means something different to each of us. For me, freedom signifies the path I’ve gone through my entire life. I don’t think I ever pondered upon what freedom really meant until I was diagnosed with cancer. In fact, I learned about the miracle that we call freedom by experiencing the opposite of it. Cancer was a jail for me and when I won the battle, I began to appreciate the little things. Picking my own food and being able to go out with my friends whenever I wanted, meant the world to me. I come from a country where freedom is not to be taken for granted. In Israel, every boy and girl must join the military when they hit 18, right after high school. Due to cancer, I wasn’t a candidate and the forces chose to let me go. They gave me a ‘fast pass’ to start the rest of my life. This may sound fine to some of you, but for me, it wasn’t. Having realized what freedom meant at the deepest core -at the age of 17-  I knew I couldn’t let my friends serve and protect our people, alone. They often say that everything is possible if you just believe. Well, I’ve added a little spice to it. Everything is possible if you just believe and(!) act out! So I raised my voice, I pushed the right buttons, and finally the military decided to let me in as a volunteer. There is not much difference between a regular recruit and a volunteer, and I was thrilled to become one of many. Protecting the people you love, protecting your country from people who seek evil; is a privilege. I was proud during my service, and I am proud now. I’m proud to have been given the opportunity to serve in the Israeli navy. I am proud to have been given the opportunity to protect and ensure freedom for all of my country’s inhabitants. Freedom means the world to me. God gave me freedom, and I sought to give it further. On this happy note I want to dedicate a gift of a little freedom to all of you - Arianna is giving 50% off the entire website so you can enjoy yourselves this long weekend! God bless!