These Words Still Ring True

For Week forty-two of our fifty week calligraphy challenge the prompt was indigenous people. I instantly thought about the Statue of Liberty and the words engraved on her base. We all have ancestors who came from some other countries to find a better life here. As I read and reread these words I was reminded of the courage, gumption and trust the people who entered Ellis Island had to make the truck through those doors.

No matter how the elections turn out, we have a great place to live. We are states united in our commitment to freedom, ingenuity and the ability to say or do whatever we want. Good news is if the candidate you voted for did not get elected there will be another chance in four more years. That may sound like a long time but time passes quickly, policies and promises change with the seasons, so be reminded that as a country we are UNITED in democracy, freedom and providing a better life for all who enter.

So what can our country expect of us? How do we contribute to making this a better place even if it is only in our own circle of influence? And what can we do today to make our world safer, stronger and better than it was this time last year? Freedom isn’t free no matter how angry or indifferent we become to how the system works. Freedom requires of us all a commitment to hard work, honest pay and the right to not be put upon because of our demographics. The Statue of Liberty has been holding up her lantern beside the golden door for more than a hundred and fifty years, so let’s do what we can to make our country a place where we want to live AND are willing to let others live their dreams as well. Her inscription still rings true if we let it, allow it and are willing to do the work.