The American Spirit

Written by John Boe


September 11, 2001 is a date this country will never forget. The United States was under attack from suicidal terrorists and asrepparttar shock subsided, it dawned on Americans everywhere that they were now onrepparttar 124036 frontlines of a new kind of battle. A battle not fought on foreign soil but within our borders. Who can ever forgetrepparttar 124037 horrific pictures ofrepparttar 124038 crash site in Pennsylvania,repparttar 124039 Pentagon damaged and burning or New York’s elegant Twin Towers collapsing into rubble before our very eyes? The images of destruction and heroism on that day are etched into our memories. Our respect and admiration went out torepparttar 124040 firemen, police officers, medical technicians and other volunteers as they worked heroically amidstrepparttar 124041 smoke and dust searching for survivors at “ground zero.” Feelings of shock and disbelief soon turned into thoughts of sorrow, fear and anger. Inrepparttar 124042 aftermath of this terrorist attack, using all of its resources and drawing onrepparttar 124043 past,repparttar 124044 country struggles to make sense ofrepparttar 124045 tragedy.

If this act of unprecedented violence was intended to divide us as a country and break our spirit as a people it failed miserably! For you see,repparttar 124046 American Spirit can’t be blown up, burned down or extinguished. These cowardly killers made a huge mistake when they underestimatedrepparttar 124047 character and compassion ofrepparttar 124048 American Spirit! People across this great nation pulled together, not apart. Proud Americans from coast to coast stood in line for blocks waiting to give their blood. Flags came out and candles were lit as Americans collectively mourned this tragedy.

How Will You Be Remembered?

Written by John Boe


Have you ever wondered about your own funeral? How many people will attend and what do you imagine they will say about your life? Recently I read a story about a man named Alfred who hadrepparttar rare opportunity to read his own obituary. Apparentlyrepparttar 124035 newspaper in Alfred’s hometown mistakenly believed that he had died and prematurely published his obituary. Alfred was a philanthropist who had made a fortune by inventing dynamite in 1866. In his obituary his invention was blamed forrepparttar 124036 death and mutilation of thousands of people. He was shocked and dismayed byrepparttar 124037 harsh manner in which he was portrayed. Alfred was determined to improve his public image and leave a better legacy. He wanted to be remembered as a man of science and of peace. When Alfred died in 1896, his will providedrepparttar 124038 major portion of his $9 million estate be set up as a fund to establish yearly prizes for merit in physics, chemistry, medicine and physiology, literature, and world peace.

Alfred’s last name you ask? Noble,

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