It’s easy to remove yourself from the turmoil that occurs in
other places in the world today. We read about the struggles in other countries
and see it on the news, but do we truly appreciate that we are in a nation
where we can walk down the street without fear of stepping on a landmine or
that every child has the opportunity to go to school, regardless of gender or
genealogy?
I was raised in a family where we were constantly reminded
that we were blessed to be born into a country where we are free - we are able
to work hard and are rewarded for our hard work. We can make decisions for
ourselves and our families. We can choose which religion to practice without
repercussions. We can vote for representatives who will defend these freedoms.
My grandparents came to this country to escape the potato
famine in Ireland - my grandmother was 16 and left everyone she knew behind to
find a better life. She became a maid in NYC and met her husband who worked on
the railroad. He had come from Ireland before her on a separate boat. They had
four children - one of which was my father, Jack. He went to school, played
basketball, and continued his college education on scholarship. After he met my
mother, he worked two jobs to make sure his family was taken care of and
eventually ended up doing well in sales. They were the American dream and this
dream is still alive as long as we keep it that way.
When Kennedy gave his inaugural address in 1961, he said the
famous words: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do
for your country.” I feel like we, as a society, are moving away from this train
of thought and we need to get back to it. We need to be grateful for the
opportunities we are afforded; not take advantage of them or think we’re
entitled to them.
Make sure your children know how blessed they are to live in
this great nation. Don’t take it for granted. Remind them all the time and make
them proud to be Americans. They are the future of this country, and when
you’re proud of something, you fight to keep it strong.
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