Do you appreciate it?

      Every weekday I badge in or key unlock 6 doors to get into work. I have to stand in a secured area and get my ID checked to enter the Secure perimeter and this is just for minimum security. If I work in max, I have to enter 12 doors just to get in. I don't think about it much as it has become completely routine in my daily life. I started thinking about this yesterday as I was leaving. Earlier in the day a co-worker said something to me that stopped my dead in my tracks. Often when you are so engrossed in an environment, you often fail to see the realness of it. There are so many things I hear or talk about on a daily basis that I NEVER EVER thought I would be talking about. I mean I work with murderers... did I ever think I would say that? NO.My co-worker, referring to a patient as I was asking her which Pandora station we should listen too during class said " you know, this is the only time of day where she gets to listen to music?" Kind of made me want to cry. Music is a HUGE part of my life, HUGE. I listen to it all the time and I cannot imagine not having access too it.
  Let me paint a little picture for you. Can you imagine having someone tell you every morning what time to get up? What time to eat breakfast? What time to go to bed? What to wear, when to shower, what pills to take? OK now, for those of us with small children, a lot of these apply but within that there is freedom to make our own choices. To hit the snooze button, to wear our pajamas, to watch movies all day or choose what kind of music we want to listen to. And, we take it for granted because it is normal for us. Now, some of you would argue that they get what they deserve. When you commit a crime, you deserve to have your rights stripped away and there is a certain part of me that agrees with you... in prison. But I work in a mental institution and I guess working with these people every day has completely changed my perspective on this. The trauma that these people have gone through it UNREAL and so incredibly heartbreaking and honestly after reading their stories... no wonder they have done what they have done. I'm not making an excuse I am just trying to create perspective.
Freedom, for anything is one of those amazing rights we have especially in this country but don't appreciate nearly often enough. Sometimes being able to fully see how little another human being has helps up appreciate it that much more. Don't get me wrong, just the other day I was complaining about our family being sick and I am not saying that you shouldn't be upset at circumstances because their are starving children in Africa. Life is all relative. Our circumstances and struggles are all relative.
For me, I know that when I walk outside today I am going to look at things a little differently, that when I pick my music I am thanking God that I get to listen to it when I want.
Freedom for anything is really beautiful!