Prose and Narratives

The American Dream

 

I am a proud American and I love everything that America stands for.  I love the fact that every person who sets foot upon the soil of this land is free to pursue an American Dream.  A dream filled with opportunity, a dream filled with hope, a dream that has proven over and over and over again, that in America anything is possible.

 

The Pilgrims came to the shores of this land in 1620.  They came in search of a place where they could experience an American Dream; a dream of religious freedom.  The expression of that dream is found in the Mayflower Compact.

 

The American colonists rebelled against England to secure the American Dream of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  The expression of that dream is found in the Declaration of Independence.

 

The delegates to the United States Constitutional Convention, which convened in May of 1787 set aside the Articles of Confederation to insure that the freedoms won from Great Britain would be protected, and that every American would know and understand their personal rights.  The expression of that dream is the Constitution of the United States of America.  The first ten amendments to that constitution are called the Bill of Rights.  These ten amendments enumerate the freedoms guaranteed to all the citizens of this nation.

 

The day the Declaration of Independence was introduced to the American colonists the dream of freedom entered the heart of every patriotic American.  The expression of that dream is found in the Emancipation Proclamation.  For some, this American Dream was denied for many years.  Today, the possibility of this dream for all citizens is a reality.

 

As awareness of the American Dream spread across the oceans of the world, millions of immigrants poured onto the shores of this land.  Most of them sacrificing all they had just for the opportunity to share in that dream.  A steady stream of dream seekers has continued for more than 225 years without diminishing!  Still they come.

 

The vast majority of people in this nation are less than six generations from their immigrant parents.  They came and worked hard for that dream.  Your place in this nation is a result of their determination to build a future for their children and grand-children.  Most of them came with not much more than the clothes on their backs.  They also carried in their hearts a firm hope in the American Dream.

 

They come knowing that the realization of their expectations would require everything they had to give, and maybe even more.  They knew they had to earn the dream for themselves.

 

The United States of America offers more freedom for personal development than any other nation on earth, simply because of our belief in the American Dream.  We, the people of this land know that if we are willing to pay the price and work hard, we have the right to pursue our own American Dream with all the fervor of our souls and without interference from government or any other powerful entity.  Many have come, and found it.

 

The right to pursue this dream is the great promise of America.  The fulfillment of this dream is the result of hard work, sacrifice, and a great measure of ingenuity, coupled with luck.  Despite the effort required, many have succeeded.

 

Even today, the American Dream is no small undertaking.  It is a journey that is not for the faint of heart.  To choose such a path requires the best you have to offer, all of the energies of your heart and soul.

 

American Dreams are not necessarily economic ventures.  The best American Dreams serve the greater good of all people.  The core of such an American Dream is always anchored in truth, and that anchor is never compromised.  In other words, to be a true American Dream it must support "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  It must also help "...to build a more perfect union."

 

I wish you success as you pursue your American Dream.

 

Copyright 2011 by Layne S. Porter

 

 

 

 



Defining Moments

 

Sweet is the time when without warning we are constrained to stop and ponder exactly who we are and where we fit into the whole scheme of life. 

 

One such moment came upon me years ago when my brother gave me a quote by John A. Shedd.   The quote read: "A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what a ship was made for!"

 

As he left the room, he turned to me and said: "You need this!"

 

This quote stirred a familiar note of truth and for several days I could not get it out of my mind!  To this day it has remained a witness of a defining moment when I began to realize that there was more, that there was better, and that I needed to change the very things that defined who I was!  It had nothing to do with money, or position, or power!  I knew that I needed to be a different kind of man with a different kind of purpose.  I knew that I would never be at peace with myself, or with providence if I did not change!

 

It is in these lonely moments of solitude that we begin to feel after something that is bigger than ourselves.  It is in these times of private self-reflection that we begin to see what we should be, rather than what we are.  It is in these defining moments that we begin to be dissatisfied with what is today and begin to shape ourselves for what may be tomorrow.

 

These defining moments inspire men and women to rise above themselves to a more noble character.  I am grateful to a good brother who had the courage to be the catalyst in a special moment that changed my life.

 

                                                                Copyright 2005 Layne S Porter

 

 

 

The Traveler
 

"The benefit of any journey can only be measured in the way it shapes and

 changes those who enter into that quest with all the fervor of their souls."

 

 

I am a traveler!  I have stepped out of the comfort of my life and embarked on a journey of learning. This journey has disturbed how I defined my world and what was my vision.  Old perplexities have vanished in the light of new challenges.  Old dreams have disappeared in the face of discovered realities.

I am a traveler!  If I were just one person it would be much simpler.  But, I am not just one!  I am one who fills many roles with many people.  Each person, with whom I hold connection, is dependent on me for personal and reasonable benefits.  It would be irresponsible to forgo these duties no matter how strong that inclination may be!

I am a traveler!  In the depths of my soul I know that I must be committed to implementing the knowledge and the skills garnered as I move on through the processes of life.  I did not take this path for no reason; a specific end was intended from the beginning.  Each journey is a process of change leading to new perspectives and new possibilities.  Such is how God intended it to be!

My greatest fear is that I may wilt under the weight of the freedom which lies within my grasp.  I fear the pull of present-day comforts may derail my pursuit of maturation; that I may not have the energy, the resolve or constancy to reap the harvest.  I fear my faith may wane in the presence of loneliness; some paths must be trod alone.

I am a traveler! Despite my fears, I shall not faint!  The purpose of my journey is growth in the understanding of who I am.  The reward of my journey is peace in the absence of doubt.  The companion of my journey is truth dispelling the darkness of ignorance!

Copyright 2005 by Layne S. Porter