1776-2006

Happy birthday U.S.A.
230 years old. Wow. Long life you’ve had there, liberty.
Remember when my family celebrated your bicentennial? 1976. We were in Pennsylvania. We joined my mother’s parents that year. I was 10. I had pride in me for you, America. Even though we lived in another country. It was embedded, this patriotism, and no one could touch it. Not even me. It was invisible, invincible.You always lived right inside, even though I never invited you in. Do all Americans feel this way? I wonder…
There is a tangible emotionalism that stirs each time I watch your history. I never felt that way while we were singing: “God Save The Queen” at each assembly. Weird, huh? I didn’t try to make manifest this umbilical to you. Do you instill yourself that way into every American? I am reduced to tears simply by watching the stars and stripes flying in the wind, or seeing a soldier salute, or any other American-like gesture. How does that figure, eh?
I saw your ground zero devastation three months after my birthday in the year 2001. I couldn’t breathe that day. Couldn’t walk through Manhatten’s wintery bluster without tears stinging my cheeks and heart.
My soul left that day. Went somewhere to join in your sorrow, I guess.
We are all America. I am America. You are my nation. You infiltrate me. From Washington’s rainy coast to Key West’s Atlantic heat. I’ve trod your ground from there to here.
All of you. Whether I condone the behaviour of your residents or not, I’m bound by birth to defend, honor and protect. It’s just the way you made me, America.
We are so very blessed to have our roots buried in your soil. In the grand scheme of life on Earth, I know I am your daughter, and I cannot feel alone.
Happy birthday, U.S.A.
I got you a present. Me.

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 2nd, 2006 at 1:24 pm and is filed under Deetails. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.