by Mekelle Tenney
It’s easy for us to get caught up in all that is wrong in this world. Last week our Friday night was met with reports of terrorist attacks in Paris where over 200 people were killed. ISIS continues to make the news with acts of terror, torture, and death.Here in America we are dealing with the horrors of Planned Parenthood where thousands of babies are being mutilated and killed all in the name of “privacy”.Just a few weeks ago a shooter on an Oregon college campus went on a shooting rampage killing nine people and injuring another eight. With natural disasters, corrupt politicians, tyrants, terrorists, drugs, and abuse filling up our news feed it’s easy to obsess over all that is wrong. And to a certain extent that’s a good thing. We should be disturbed when we see evil, sad when we see pain, and furious when we see corruption. Those are all important emotions that drive us to action (and I’m not talking about the kind of action where you change your Facebook profile picture). I’m talking about the kind of action that brings about change and impacts the world.
With Thanksgiving only two weeks away I can’t help but think of the impact we could have if our actions were driven by more than the negative that we see in this world. As American’s we are blessed with more opportunities than anywhere else in the world. Our children are not held back by race, ethnicity, or social standing. Capitalism, democracy, and the American dream give each of us the opportunity to succeed and progress as far as we want.
I know that many do not believe in the American dream but all throughout our history we have people who came up from almost nothing. Our Congress is full of Senators and Congressmen whose parents were bartenders and maids. We have had Presidents who were born in one room log cabins, and Supreme Court justices who grew up on welfare. All around us are doctors, lawyers, businessmen, and teachers who were born in poverty, who were the first generation to get a college education. These kinds of stories don’t happen just anywhere. Most people around the world would never expect to be anything more than what their parents are. As Americans we have literally no limitations! Not only are we fortunate enough to be free but we also share in a great heritage. One of patriotism, loyalty, and dedication to principles of freedom and universal rights. This heritage is a big part of who we are and whether we realize it or not it has shaped our view of society. This is one of the reasons why we see so much of what is wrong in the world, because we know what is right.
But our heritage goes even deeper than just patriotism and a love of freedom. In America we stand with the nations of the world who value the family. The family has long been viewed as a fundamental unit of society. Our society recognized long ago that the ideal setting for a child to grow and develop in is a family. We also live in a society that values religion and recognizes it as beneficial to our families and communities. This heritage is unique to America and should be a driving force behind our actions.
When you turn on the news and see all that is bad in the world try to feel more than anger, sorrow, or pain. Feel gratitude for the blessings we have, pride in our heritage, and dedication to our principles and values. And let that drive you to do more.