If tomorrow all the things were gone
I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that away.
I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.
Above are lyrics from Lee Greenwood's song God Bless the USA.
Fifty short years ago life in America was very different. We had three channels on our television, a party line telephone which meant occasionally you would hear another person's telephone conversation on your phone, we also had telephone operators to whom you gave the number you wanted to call. Games for kids were limited, so our "play" time was spent outdoors. The movie theatre in town played one movie for a period of time. Families did a lot more things together, often just socializing with relatives. There were dances to go to, picnics to cook for, card games on a Friday night, church on Sunday, family dinners together every night . . . simple things. Face-to-face communication was important then, and it enabled our relationships to be close and meaningful.
One of the things I remember with both amazement and disheartenment is how my parents would leave their car on the street unlocked, with the windows open, and on warm summer nights our house would frequently be unlocked and only the screen door closed. We lived in a safe world back then, at least in our little town. I remember walking a mile across town at 15 years old to get from a friend's house to mine, often late at night.
I don't know if we'll ever see that kind of freedom again, but a free America is definitely worth fighting for. As Lee Greenwood's song reminds us, "I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free, and I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me."
This is the second in a series of patriotic messages. If you enjoy them, write us and let us know.
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