A SPECIAL MESSAGE TO AMERICA'S CHILDREN
Dear Children,
This message is especially for you.
By the time you finish reading this
book, I hope you will understand something very important.
You matter.
You matter to your family.
You matter to your friends.
You matter to your community.
And you matter to America.
Sometimes children believe they are
too young to make a difference.
That simply is not true.
Every great adult was once a child.
Every teacher was once a student.
Every doctor was once a little boy
or girl.
Every firefighter, police officer,
inventor, scientist, soldier, pastor, business owner, president, and parent was
once exactly where you are today.
The future begins with children.
One day you will grow up and make
decisions that shape the world around you.
You will choose how to treat others.
You will choose whether to be
honest.
You will choose whether to work
hard.
You will choose whether to help
people in need.
You will choose whether to stand up
for what is right.
Those choices matter.
The good news is that you do not
have to wait until you are grown up to start making a difference.
You can begin today.
You can be kind to a classmate.
You can help a neighbor.
You can listen to your parents.
You can work hard in school.
You can tell the truth.
You can show respect.
You can encourage someone who is
sad.
You can be a good friend.
You can choose gratitude instead of
complaining.
You can choose courage instead of
fear.
You can choose responsibility
instead of excuses.
Every one of those choices helps
build character.
Character is one of the most
important things you will ever develop.
People may forget what toys you had.
They may forget what clothes you
wore.
They may forget what games you
played.
But they will remember how you
treated them.
They will remember whether they could
trust you.
They will remember whether you were
kind.
They will remember whether you were
honest.
Good character follows you
throughout your life.
As you grow older, never stop
learning.
Read books.
Ask questions.
Explore new ideas.
Learn about history.
Learn about your country.
Learn about the people who came
before you.
The more you learn, the more
opportunities you will have to make wise decisions.
Always remember that freedom is a
gift.
Millions of people throughout
history have lived without the freedoms many Americans enjoy today.
Freedom allows you to learn.
Freedom allows you to dream.
Freedom allows you to worship.
Freedom allows you to speak.
Freedom allows you to become the
person God created you to be.
Freedom should never be taken for
granted.
At the same time, freedom comes with
responsibility.
Good citizens respect others.
Good citizens obey the law.
Good citizens help their
communities.
Good citizens understand that rights
and responsibilities belong together.
One day, America will belong to your
generation.
You will become the teachers.
The leaders.
The parents.
The workers.
The inventors.
The volunteers.
The citizens who shape the future.
My hope is that when that day comes,
you will remember the lessons in this book.
Love freedom.
Respect others.
Work hard.
Tell the truth.
Help people.
Be grateful.
Show courage.
Serve your community.
And never stop believing that one
person can make a difference.
Because one person can.
That person might be you.
May God bless you.
May God bless your family.
And may God bless the United States
of America.
Your friend,
Bill Conley
No comments:
Post a Comment