I will never forget, the day I thought the world was ending. The day I was up getting ready for work when the news broke and said a plane had hit the towers, I knew instantly it was not an accident. I remember being so shaken by what I witnessed as the world watched in terror not believing what their eyes were telling them. Life in America forever changed that day. I, too, have changed since then. I believe that was the day I started loving my America for what she stood for instead of taking her for granted. I started seeing her differently. My worse fear came to being, she was attacked. She didn’t bow down, even though she wept, she came back fighting. Made me proud to be an American, made me real proud.
She has struggled since then because of what we have allowed. Instead of us fighting for her, it seems most are fighting against her. Instead of rallying around her, we as a nation divided. We use guns to solve our fights, we use hatred as an excuse, we silence those who differ, we protest at the hint of infringement, lawlessness has become accepted and justice is banished, right has become wrong and wrong has become right.
We have become busy bodies attending to everyone’s business but our own, we expect everything but deserve nothing, we want what isn’t ours and we demand one give it to us no matter the cost. The truth is no longer the truth, it’s my truth, your truth, her truth, his truth. The media spreads more lies than Satan on Sunday’s when you are trying to go to church. Church has become optional and families have become broken. The word he and she has become so unidentifiable, gender has become an it. We scoff at social injustice but we laugh in the face of our constitution and our flag.
America, the land of opportunity, the land of freedom, the land that believed in justice for all, the land that was founded by in God we trust. I want her back. I want to know my neighbors, I want to sit on the front porch without fear of being shot, I want to have a discussion about what I believe and why without fear of being bullied, called a name or harassed. I want to love not hate. I want to reach for my dreams and I want you to do the same.
Come on people, we are better than what we have become. America deserves more … she is ours and when she is gone, there won’t be another one … we say we haven’t forgotten but have we? Praying for my America.
If my people, who are called by my name and will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15
Debra Walters
Auburn, Alabama
