They Thought They Could Break Us

Nineteen years ago, there was a group of people who thought they could break us. It did not work. We are still here - not perfect and at times, far too divided for my taste. But nonetheless, we are still here. 

The resiliency of this country is phenomenal. At the core of its resiliency are the people who refuse to divide the nation but instead choose to live decent, good lives with the ability to contribute positively in every single way. They contribute to the workforce, canceling out the increased laziness we see in a society where people don't want to work. They get up every day, strap on their figurative boots, tighten their belts and dig in and get to work while chaos swirls around them. They have a stick-to-it factor that so many people lack. They have follow-through talent and zero expectations that things will magically get better for them. In their hearts, they know that the exhausting but rewarding work they do is the thing that makes them - and the country that they love - so unique. 

There is a busyness that this kind of life requires; it leaves no room for hatred or destruction or fear. It thrives, instead, on being productive. There isn't time to listen to the "scary" news, or to allow close influences to grab hold of your ear and fill it full of paralyzing nonsense. There is no room for excuses in a world where hard work and the willingness to be a kind and loving and good citizen exists.

The only way I know to honor those lost lives is to live my life in the best way possible. On that day, so very many of them did exactly what I do every day - they got up, they went to work, and they planned to spend the next few hours of their lives doing what they knew was necessary by putting in a hard day's work. They woke up to be productive, not destructive. They woke up in anticipation of another day on this planet, in a country where opportunities exist if you are willing to put in the effort. 

Love to my fellow Americans on this day that reflects an unwanted history of those mid-morning hours so many years ago. While we cannot change that history, we can honor and remember it by always trying to do the right thing, no matter how hard that is some days.