Patriots Dreams……..Hope rising
Ever since I was a small boy I have felt a pang of patriotism when I would see the flag flying in the breeze. There is something to be said about the stars and stripes and what they stand for. Its a simple beauty, and if you close your eyes and let your thoughts ponder the meaning of what she stands for you can get a tingling sensation. The red and white stripes represent the original thirteen colonies. The white stars represent the states. One by one stars were added to the blue back ground as or fledgling nation grew. Now fifty states strong our nation faces new challenges and obstacles, not that we haven’t faced them in the past. During the early days of our nation, Patriots faced not only oppression but the unknown of what would happen when we did find our independence. Great men led by the hand of providence worked, argued, discussed, and proposed a pathway for this new world. A constitution was formed, unlike any other that had ever been tried. A government with checks and balances was instituted and the United States of America emerged. We faced another internal struggle when the Southern States seceded from the union, blood was shed and a heavy price was paid once again for the freedom of all men. This time securing freedom for those that had been enslaved. While we are still not perfect we became a step closer to what we could become. We were United. Two world wars were fought to ensure freedoms through out the world. Precious blood spilt for you and for me, for generations past and generations yet unborn. At the end of these battles, our nation worked together to recover and lift one another, again we were united. As time passes we tend to forget the simple things that make each of us good and collectively great.
On September 11, 2001 or nation was again reminded that there is evil in the world. The cowardly attacks on thousands of innocent lives shocked us and we rallied. Rich, poor, black, white, male, female, healthy sick, young and old. It didn't matter, We overlooked differences and for a time we stood tall. Why? Because we were United. That day September 11, 2001 changed me in ways I never thought possible. I was driven to help. To set aside my career, my self interest. As I thought of how I could make a difference, my solutions were focused on helping those families that had lost loved ones in the rescue attempts a the world trade center buildings. Fortunately my employer was in full support and let me take the time to do this important task. At least important to me. I had the support of my wife and so many others. I was not alone in this quest of giving service. During this experience we made new friends from many different walks of life. We had a group of about 12 at any given time on the road with us as we traveled the nation collecting donations for the families of those that had made the ultimate sacrifice. As we traveled from one end of our nation to the other and then back again. It became evident to us that our nation was one nation under God indivisible. In early November of 2001 our little Group made it to Ground Zero. A month on the road had made us tired but we were determined in our cause. We were allowed to stand where just a few weeks earlier President Bush talked with rescue workers. There we were a group of road weary firefighters and family. Standing on hallowed ground. Hallowed not because of the evil that had transpired there but because of the sacred work of recovery that was going on. For the countless hours and prayers that had been given to provide comfort to those that had suffered such great losses. I had the privilege of walking to station 10 which is just feet from where the towers stood, now empty and desolate. Once filled with laughter, practical jokes, and a sense of family. It was a stark reminder of the costs of that day, the crew long gone and given to the eternities. A quiet calm prevailed ground zero. One of the crew leaders recognized that we were firefighters and had been allowed a view that was restricted to most. He explained the pains taking work that was going on. Giant cranes working over the “pile” as it was called. Lifting debris from the core of rubble, gently spreading it out where a groups of firefighters would sort through, trying to identify anything that might give a family some peace and sense of closure to this chaos. The debris was then loaded into a truck and hauled to a nearby landfill and the process of spreading it out and sorting though would be done again, this time by police officers. This work went on for months, double checking everything. Occasionally as the giant cranes would grab the debris from the “pile” smoke would rise and flames would leap out of the hole. We were told at the time that the temperature in certain parts of the rubbles core was still above 1000 degrees. Remarkable to think of two months after that fateful day. I will always have those memories in my mind, I can to this day remember the sounds, smells, feelings of sacred honor. I will always remember that for months afterward the feeling of we the people of the United States were United. We have done it time and again through the history of our nation. I have a hope that rises deep with in me that our Nation can rise above the challenges we face today. It doesn’t come with out cost and commitment. We have had many make even more sacrifice since that fateful day in September and our world today is in a precarious situation. May we remember and have hope and faith that good will triumph over evil. May we have the conviction that our founding fathers had when they signed the declaration of independence. “and for our support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” May God Bless each one of you, may His guiding hand be evident in our love of freedom and liberty. May He bless us individually and collectively. May God Bless America!
Bravehaven
