When I think about America’s history, one word comes to my mind: sacrifice. It is the foundation of what our country is founded on. The men who created the famous Declaration of Independence were not one’s who waited for the change they wanted to happen on its own; instead they stood up from their positions in life and took a chance on our nation to change it. They deliberated and debated and they willingly stood up to face the strongest military power in the world, proclaiming that they will no longer accept tyranny. They strongly preached the words of freedom, and like priest from a pulpit, they gathered their flock. These men fought in bloody revolutions to show to the world that democracy reigned supreme.
When the men and women of this great nation were called to a draft for World War II in 1940, they knew the sacrifices that they were about to make for our great nation. World War II was not won by highly ranked officers, it is however, won by men who flew bombers over the Pacific Ocean and stormed the blood-soaked beaches in the Atlantic that took many of our country men’s lives. Men who journeyed through disease infested jungles, jumped from one island to another through humid rain forests, and men who lay in muddy, blood ridden fox holes; hoping and praying they would not be the next target of the thunderous shells striking the surrounding ground.
Our history has not only been shaped by those extraordinary heroes, but also the ordinary people of our nation. It is the many family’s who left their homelands and traveled thousands of miles to get to this great nation; just to give their children’s and future generations a better life. It is the struggling American workers who goes to work everyday for long hours and still stresses about making enough money to support their families. These sacrifices that might seem really small compared to those heroes who deployed into battle have filled in dates and outline of our history books. Without the ordinary people in America, the extraordinary would cease to exist. If it took many sacrifices in our proud nation to where it is today, then that means our future will also mean many more sacrifices as well.
In our generation today, almost everything is handed to us; be it from housing to education. I believe it is my duty as a citizen of the United States to start thinking about helping the American people. I must start asking myself, “How can I be more helpful to those around me and to myself?” According to an American Olympian named Steve Prefontaine, he said, “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” Many people today in America think that they have to join the military or create something life changing in order to make a difference. However, that notion is not true. If one looks back on American history, they would notice that sacrifices comes in many different forms and ways; whether it is big or small. No sacrifice can be measured to a standard because all sacrifices are different. As American citizens we need to try our very best to support each other and to further make our great nation greater.
To all American citizens we must find the will power to start big and great things and maybe then it will lead to historical outcome. A historical outcome that maybe your future generations will one day read about and become inspired to do the same. We may stumble, have conflict and even suffer along the way; but that should not stop you from doing something great. American greatness is in each and every one of us. It is our sacrificial duty to carry on the work that our four fathers had envisioned for us; and to see that the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are preserved in our nation.
