::::::::
It took a Candian to give me my life long appreciation of America. My uncle, now deceased, was a Canadian that spent forty years as an American citizen. He spent forty years as a professional radio broadcaster working the Balitimore, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh markets. His voice was deep, powerful, confident and known by millions over the years. It was he who suggested that I should pursue a career in broadcasting.
Of course, when he made that suggestion I was a twenty-three year old upstart who only had interests in activities that took place in the sky. Thus, my only radio broadcasts for the next thirty-five years were to Air Traffic Control...but my uncle gifted me one Christmas morning with the insight of a thoughtful and appreciative man.
When greeting him that morning I asked how he was doing. His simple but matter of fact response was "I'm alive and in America". When he made that statement it was with such sincerity that I never for a moment thought it to be over the top or pretentious. It was simply his sincere expression of appreciating all that America had afforded him.
I have borrowed that phrase many thousands of time since that morning, and from me it is also equally sincere. For all of Americas faults, it remains this planets best last hope. It is my hope that all reading this have had safe and happy holidays and that they also take a moment to reflect upon our good fortune to have been born as Americans.
