“The most important lesson that I have learned in my life is extremely simple. It is to be proud of being American. We live in the greatest country in the world. As Americans, we have rights and privileges unlike that of any other country on the face of the Earth. Considering that my first name is the same as that of one of the greatest generals of all time, I obviously come from a military family. I have been taught from an early age that freedom is not free, and that men and women have died to give us our freedoms that we use on a daily basis. Not only do we as Americans need to be proud of who we are, we also must dedicate our lives to the remembrance of those who served us by honoring them every chance we get. Those soldiers who died for us beginning in the Revolutionary War, continuing through the Civil War, both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, and most recently Iraq and Afghanistan, did not die so that we could let our country go to waste. They died so that we could live in a peaceful country where democracy reigns. It is our duty as Americans to honor that ultimate sacrifice by doing our part to live the American dream. It is America’s job to be a leader in this world. It is our job as Americans to protect this country for future generations. I believe that is what our soldiers would have wanted. That is why they sacrificed what they did. They were not thinking about themselves, they were thinking about the future generations. This is why I am proud to say that the most important lesson I have learned is to be proud of being born an American.”
This post was written for a scholarship competition by Patriot Academy alumnus Patton Ritter. Â You can vote for Patton’s post here:Â https://www.wyzant.com/scholarships/v2/essay55871-Alvin-TX.aspx
