Sunday, May 19, 2024
I am an old guy, almost 84 years old. What an adventure I've had to be an American. Wow! from the moment I was born in 1939, to this very day in February 2023.
My dad died in 1945.
My mother who had three young children was dirt poor. We lived in a tar paper shack. We lived in shanty town in Denton, Texas. We were called "poor white trash." My mother, who had a fourth grade education, heard this and we were able to move up just a little bit. We started to school, and she started to school with us. when she retired, she was a dental tech and secretary for a dental company.
In talking with other men my age one morning while we were drinking coffee, they had similar situations growing up. Our lives seemed to be in the same book. Example: We all started to work young. We all followed instructions. We all had served in the military. We traveled the USA. The one thing that impressed us all ... we all treated every person we met with dignity regardless of their color, race, education. rich or poor. In further conversation, we all agreed that true Americans have a heartfelt warmth toward all.
My stepdad told us three boys, you can work for someone else and make a living but, if you want to make money, you have to create your own businesses. We all three created our own income. none alike.
All Americans have different lives. we have different appearances. The one thing that we Americans have is freedom. Those seven letters, f-r-e-e-d-o-m, make us Americans.
