On June 12, 2001, Joe and I sailed out of New York harbor on the Queen Elizabeth II with our nieces Heidi, and Holly, to England. ♥ It was the most wonderful trip of my life, and a dream come true for Joe and me. We now know how lucky we were to go when we did. Heidi was almost eleven and Holly was twelve. We had planned this trip since Holly was six years old. I prepared the girls for the trip by sending them movies to watch . . . Sabrina, Roman Holiday, An Affair to Remember and of course Auntie Mame. 🙂
We are remembering this weekend. One of the things that gave me strength on that terrible September 11, 2001, besides knowing that the world grieved with us (which meant so much!) was the spontaneous and overwhelming display of our national emblem.
It was everywhere, suddenly and immediately; flags flew from every car, truck, and eighteen-wheeler on the highway; from front porches, draped out windows, on rooftops and from doorways, lining Main Streets all over the country. Signs of God Bless America were everywhere, telling the world, we are one.
Our country is made up of people from all over the world. We are Ireland, Japan, Africa, England, Sweden, Russia, India, Italy, Mexico, Iraq, and Canada. We are connected, by family, to them all. Our resolve is their resolve, and their resolve is ours. Our hope is their hope and their hope is ours.
And our faith is unshaken in what America stands for, because it’s what we all stand for in our hearts . . . the beautiful dream of peace and good health, fine education for our children, good jobs, fairness and truth, and justice for all. The freedom to reach for the stars. Can that be so difficult? ♣
Our flags flying everywhere on those terrible days in September said that despite what had just happened, there is hope for the world. . . as Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
We’ll never give up. Fear will not be our guiding light . . .
Or determine our future . . .
We live in a world and a country of everyday heroes. Moms and Dads everywhere, trying to make a better place for their children; teachers, nurses, firefighters, farmers; us normal tea drinkers and quilt makers, island lovers and laundry folders, dinner cookers and flower planters, doggie lovers, kitty petters, and never-giver-uppers . . . scientists, astronauts, artists, poets and philosophers, who do their part every day to make the world a better place to live. ♥ Many everyday heroes were lost that terrible day. We honor their memory by keeping their dreams alive.
Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.♥ Rabindranath Tagore.
‘Cause that’s who we are . . . Call me a dreamer. But that’s what I was put here to do.
To help keep the dream alive . . .
So today, and every day, I’m remembering that we are one, and cherishing the spirit and heart that makes America great . . . ♥
♫ From the mountains . . .
to the prairies . . . ♪
♫ to the oceans . . .
white with foam . . . ♪
♫ God Bless America, our home sweet home. ♪ ♥
Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.♥Belva Davis
