united states – Drake Gaetano

I am America

Posted on June 6, 2021by staff

I am America.
I am a man of a certain age who still believes in God, and the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
I am a nation whom the rest of the world must look upon to find answers,
I am picnic baskets waiting to be filled with simple foods prepared by loving hands. I sit quietly and peacefully down by the lake in anticipation of the warm and beautiful sunny days of summer. I am a glorious early spring morning awaiting those who choose to feel and smell me.
I am America.
I am a mother surrounded by many angels to ease my pain and suffering,
I am Jason, a brave heart,
I am a voice who speaks the truth and needs people to lend me their ears,
I am ears waiting to hear the truth,
I am on a distant path waiting for someone to discover me and let me lead them to a beautiful singing pond with the morning dew lighting the way,
I am a land that used to be called “promised”, and I still do promise if you will just hold my hand and together make a stand,
I am a father who understands that the love of God and family alone is worth the fight,
I sometimes long for yesterday, but look towards the end of a perfect day,
I am country music, hamburgers, corn on the cobb, and iced tea,
I am down home and I still love my hometown,
I am Mother Earth’s heartbeat, companion, and friend,
I am the land of the plenty, but also the land of the sad and suffering,
I am America.
I am a river of love seeking an ocean,
I am old, torn, and tattered car tires laying in a field in the shape of a heart with daisies growing around them,
I am children laughing and singing silly songs that are dancing in their heads,
I am a day like none other filled with hope, opportunity, and boundless love,
I am still a melting pot for all of God’s children, and the child in all of us,
I have discovered after searching for so far, that I cannot turn back,
I am a land with arms wide open waiting to embrace you,
I know we can only achieve real peace when we live inside each others’ wounds,
I have discovered that after all my searching, I have found a place of my own in the heart of a stranger passing me by,
I will not walk with my dirty feet in other peoples’ heads,
I will give inner peace a chance,
America I am.
I am a ship of leaders in the night, not a ship of fools,
I am a nation that must begin to replant the seeds of peace, and one by one we shall reap the harvest, singing and shouting the voice of victory,
I am Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, and Tom Sawyer,
I am all the countless wonderful cities, towns, and villages spread across this great land waiting to be re-discovered,
I am Autism, the door that can unlock the love in your heart,
I am Dante, the keeper of the key,
I am the land of freedom, hope, and charity,
I once was blind but now I see,
I am America.
I am home.
It’s time to wake up and be awesome.

Drake's Blog

“Patriot” – The true meaning

Posted on May 23, 2021by staff

There is a word that needs to circulate more within America to establish the credibility and morality of those who should claim it. The word is “Patriot”. Those of us who claim to be patriots are proud of this allegiance to which we ascribe.

It is considered to be aligned to what is morally right. Such things as a moral value, goodness, kindness, and courage to seek the truth, lie deep within the conscience of a patriot.

Much of the meaning of the word patriot belongs solely to those who honor its true meaning, and does not belong to those who disagree. Today this exclusion of others not considered to be patriotic seems to play a role in polarizing the American way of life today. If we are to move forward we all need to move toward the true meaning of patriotism.

We must build on what it means to be a patriot which has become to be a variety of things to different people. Some attributes are stronger in some individuals than in others. Some of the things that the word patriot has come to include:

Love for one’s country
Willingness to defend her
Understanding and commitment to the ideals upon which she was founded
Desire to rectify the mistakes that were made in the past
Commitment to obey with respect the founding documents
Faithfulness to the constitution

Although we may disagree with these principles and the practices of past and present governments, we must respect everyone’s point of view. America is not one thing, but many things. Patriotism is not one thing, but many things.

Trust and belief in the good that lies within all Americans will re-establish her might. Love for America has many colors and we must join together to work toward a common good.

The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it. Hope is the last thing ever lost.