About two or three weeks ago while watching the morning news on TV, I heard someone mention some sort of contest for something new about the United States. I was only half awake, to be honest, and had been dozing off periodically. Anyway, I had some thoughts going through my mind about what to write down for the contest. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote down the words that had come to mind, and then put the pen and paper on my desk. About a week or so later I saw the paper, picked it up and read it. I could no longer remember what the contest was about, who was sponsoring it, where to look for information in regards to any contest ... nothing. I didn’t really refine it that much from what I had originally written down. I only changed a word or two to what it is now. I didn’t think it was too bad and thought I would see if anyone else thought it was any good. Hope someone likes it.

My thanks to where I live ... the United States of America

None of us are exactly the same here in what we think, do and say. But, when we get a common enemy is when we come together in a very big way.

After all of these years we are still a work in progress there isn’t any doubt. We have a lot of problems, big and small, we are still trying to work them out.

Some were born here while the rest came from everywhere else. From different places, values, and cultures trying to make a new safe home for themselves.

Some issues in this country we have been working on far too long. Justice, rights, and politics are somethings we seem to get as much right as we do wrong.

The beauty of this place is in how strongly you can believe in what you want it to be. By working hard you may achieve the dream or not, or somewhere in between.

We’ve been the best and the worst. We’ve made friends, enemies, and at times are hard to understand. When we can agree we may lend a helping hand.

There are other parts of this world that could have been my home and not this place. I am so glad when I think about it, to be here in the United States.

Al Moermond
July 2021