American Spirit....., page 1

Today is September 11, 2004 3 years since that terrible day when our innocence was lost. The sounds and images of that day are seared into my mind whether I want them to be or not. On that day we lost neighbors, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers. This single day changed the course of a country forever.

I awoke this morning in the comfort of my bed with the sounds of my children playing down the hallway. I went downstairs cooked breakfast for my family and readied myself for work. Then I realized what this day actually was and despised myself for forgetting the meaning of the day.

On my way to work I listened to a broadcast of the sounds of 9/11. The clips included various radio stations reporting that the WTC was on fire and slowly the reports turned to a plane accidentally hitting the building. After a short while the second plane crashed and the first reports we were under attack went out. I heard port authority tapes of the dispatcher hearing the last seconds of a police officers life on the third floor of building number two. I heard a fireman saying �those are our brothers down there and we are going to get them out.� I heard a retelling of the heroes bringing down flight 93 with a rebellious �lets roll� as the last any ever heard of them.

Near the end of my commute I passed under an overpass looked up to see an elderly gentleman and a young child holding a banner that stated proudly �Never forget 9/11�. This grabbed at my soul and pulled my heartstrings and the tears began to roll down my cheeks. I cried for those who lost their lives, for the incorruptibility we once had, and for pure pride for my country.

In the end I contemplated American spirit, that unquantifiable quality that makes Americans what they are. This spirit is the pride for the grounds that so many have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect. It is the get the job done mentality. It is compassion for our fellow man. It is the collective experiences those 228 years of freedom have taught us. It�s the rags to riches stories. It is rooting for the underdog. Lastly, it is resolve to defend our country under any circumstance.

What is wonderful about this spirit is that its different to everyone. So what it means to me may be different than what it means to you and that�s ok because we live in America where you are free to have a differing opinion.

In America we are preparing for elections. The news nightly airs the latest mud on this side or the other and we all listen. We hear of guard service, false medals, and much more. However, underlying all of that is the real reason we are voting on November 2; we are voting because we believe in America and want to put this country on the right track. Regardless of who you are voting for you are voting for the person you believe is the best to represent this country, and no one should fault you for that. The vastly different opinions held by the people of this country is one of the things that makes the country great. So whether you are voting for Bush, Kerry, Nader, Badnarik, Peroutka, or Cobb I say thank you.

Tonight before you go to bed think about what this country means to you. Try to grasp what has been done to make it possible for you to lay your head down at night in a warm home. Contemplate your family and your life and imagine it all in another country imagine how it would be different.

In the end, America is not defined by politics, it is personified by us and the spirit that lives within each and everyone of us.