Hope springs eternal. I don't know who said it first, but as far back as I can remember this phrase rang in my head.
I have always tried to be an optimist. My parents were typical of their generation. My father is eighty-five years old and my mother is just a few years behind him. They grew up with the cynicism of a generation of Americans, those whose parents weathered the Great Depression.
Back then, people might have been cynical, they may have been pessimistic, but they were also self-reliant and determined. If they fell, they got back up, dusted themselves off, and went onward. They were less likely to whine and whimper about their plight. Those who were successful just got tougher and even more determined.
People in the media and academia are now telling young, impressionable kids that there never was and never will be an "American Dream" --that it was all a myth. Kids, don't believe them. They are lying to you.
Countless waves of immigrants came to America to take part in the American Dream. It was real. In the United States of America, you could make a decent living, even if you had no formal education. And with education, and hard work, you could set your goals and achieve almost anything IF you were willing to work for it. You see, the key to the American Dream was not government hand-outs or a welcoming committee-- it was OPPORTUNITY.
The success of past generations of immigrants can be summed up in that same thing that helped people survive the Great Depression-- it was determination. People came to America for a chance to succeed, not for hand-outs. Some how, our government seems to have missed that important fact.
If you came to America from some other place and you want to be part of the American Dream, welcome. Plant your feet here and become an American citizen. Raised your family here and plan for your future and the future of your generations. This country was built on the hopes and dreams of people just like you.
Right now, it is bitter cold. Just like the winter weather. America is frigid at the moment. But spring will come and, with it, will be warmth and sunshine. 2017 has just begun. Before you know it, summer will be upon us. So, rejoice! Sing and make melody in your heart! Reach for the brass ring!
...and Smile, Smile, Smile.
