We live in the greatest country in the world, and I am blessed beyond words and proud to be an American. I’m thankful for this country and the opportunities it gives to everyone, and I am here to tell you that the American dream is still alive. You can have the wonderful life you have always dreamed of. It will take a lot of hard work and commitment but the opportunities are certainly available.
I’m especially thankful for our armed forces who commit their lives to protect our freedom, and I am eternally grateful for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. May God bless our military and their families.
No matter how many times I hear the national anthem sung or played, it always gives me the chills. I love being at a sporting event standing for our anthem as I salute the flag. To have the jets fly over the stadium fills me with delight and a wonderful sense of pride for our country, I’m proud to be an American.
I have had the blessing of traveling to many countries throughout the world. As much as I love doing that, there’s nothing like coming back home to this great country. We are incredibly blessed.
We are a melting pot of many different nationalities, colors, and religions; and come from all different backgrounds. Let me encourage all of you that no matter what your political affiliation is, look for the good in this country.
Be thankful for the opportunities we have here in America. Take advantage of them and work hard so your family can be blessed. I absolutely love seeing families, that come through the proper channels, arrive in this country from different parts of the world to have their dreams come true because of the freedoms and opportunities this country has provided for them.
In my lifetime, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many people from other countries who have come here and achieved great success. The stories they share from their home country, in many cases, are heart-wrenching. The most common thing I find in all of these people is their gratitude for living in America. They are truly thankful for their freedom and especially those who paid the price for that freedom. They are living the American dream.
Unfortunately, for many of us who were born in this country or have been here for a long time, it is easy to take for granted the freedoms that we have. Especially now in this political climate, it is easy to look for the bad and be divisive with one another. My prayer is that we can become united regardless of differences and that we could love and be kind to one another. How does that start? That begins with each and every one of us.
Let’s never take for granted the freedom we have in the United States of America. As President Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.” Freedom is not free.
We certainly are not a perfect country. There is no doubt, there are a lot of things that need to be improved upon. I can say this though, we are the greatest country in the world. Take the freedom that you have to do good and wonderful works, be a blessing. Never take your freedom and your opportunities for granted. Work hard, love one another. Be an encouragement to others and always have an attitude of gratitude. God Bless America!
Have a super fantastic week!
RICH NORTON
Regional Sales Manager RMS
*Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash
