The Healing Field

I spent the morning of September 11 walking among nearly 3,000 flags. Each flag representing a person who had died during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Each flag had a laminated card tied to it with the name, age, place of employment and a few sentences about the person who died. The energy among the flags was that of a peaceful silence. I shared this moment in time with other visitors. Some read cards attached to flags, some took photos, some shed tears and some had quiet conversations with their children. Together we shared reflective moments of a day that shot fear through our hearts and great nation.

My last stop in the Healing Field was at the quest book. The pages were filled with emotion and a great sense of American pride. I started to mull over what i believe it means to be a proud America, especially during a time when we seem so split on many issues as a society.

Everyday I hear family, friends, co-workers and myself complain about the government. We have seemed to have forgotten that "We the people", are the government. Instead of being part of it we choose to sit back and relief ourselves of any responsibility to exercise our rights and those around us. We need to start from the ground up once again and redefine ourselves as a community and a nation.

Some people are proud Americans like they are Christians. They show up on the major holidays failing to realize that we have to practice our beliefs and pride on a daily basis. Here is what I believe we can do from the ground up:

We have to get back to having a sense of community, not only when disaster hits, but every day in our daily lives. When we are struggling economically and emotionally in our own lives it is easy to shut out the world around us leading us to become agitated and angry American citizens. I am here to tell you that even in the mist of our struggles we can do more for each other, the community, and our nation.

• Look people in the eye with kindness when talking to them
• Say hi to people, strangers the homeless kids to acknowledge their existence
• Drop off a case of water or a few cans of food at food pantries, i cannot afford to by a pallet of food/ water but I can a case/or a few cans,
• Volunteer even if it is only a few hours a years at your church, a school nursing home, anywhere is better than nowhere,
• Instead of spending hours playing Farmville write some letters/emails to the politicians who are suppose to be working for us, not themselves, they need to be reminded who is in charge,
• Practice tolerance, we must remember why our fore fathers came to this land, to practice freedom of religion, to prosper, and live a life not dictated by by self serving leaders or judgmental fools who try to hide behind God,
• Exercise your right to vote, you don't vote, you don' get to complain, and be an informed voter. Take the time to find out what you are voting for, not what a headline says or one news article,
• Pay attention to what your state's legislature s doing, grass roots and back to basics, what each state is doing is as important as what Congress is doing.
• Sit outside on our driveway and have a beer with your neighbors, be apart of your community, build your community.

By the time in reached my driveway I realized how I have failed at many levels of being a proud American. I need to do more and will. I invite you to do the same and let's fight to keep the Pledge of Allegiance in our hearts and classrooms.

People have given their lives for this great nation and it is up to us to make it better and keep it great.