Veteran's Day 2015 - To Be An American

To Be An American

To be an American

is to be proud of where you are.

To be an American

is to count every shooting star

as

the one that leads you forward

to the dreams

you only hoped

could become

reality:

To be an American

is to see

liberty

and to feel alive.

To be an American

is to fill up with pride

whenever you see

The Red, White, and Blue

Because now

Those colors belong to you.

And every time

you hear America

your eyes fill with tears

because you

-- the American --

feel

the glory

of Old Glory

and you see

the Stars and Stripes

in all you do.

Because you

-- the American --

will be forever true

to this nation built

with freedom

and sanctified

with blood.

For you,

being an American

will never be enough

until you know that

you have helped America

to become all she can be:

strong and brave and proud

and true

to life and liberty.

Your duty is an honor

and the honor

is a blessing:

to be an American

is a living lesson.

Debra Milligan

25 June 2015