By Miriam B. Medina
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6. Finally, Don't be discouraged!
No one is immune to discouragement. Remember, temporary defeat is not failure. Sometimes failure to achieve the results you are expecting may move unexpectedly, complicating another potentially more rewarding experience. Allowing the discouragement to dominate your thoughts will keep you from making progress, preventing that creative power from rising to the top. In giving your attention to the positive, you will be amazed at how the right people, effective opportunities and favorable situations will present themselves in order to bring your desire to successful fruition.
I would like you to stop and think about this for a moment. America has always been a haven for many who have suffered from their home country's tremendous hardships, wars, calamities generating poverty, racial prejudices, religious persecution, and political oppression. In fact, this is part of what has made America great, it is a country made up of survivors and dreamers.
Centuries ago, a great majority of emigrants left their places of birth in pursuit of the "American Dream", which symbolized for them democracy, equality, liberty, justice and most of all, material well-being. "The American Dream" a term first used by James Truslow Adams in his book the Epic of America, written in 1931 is stated as such: "The American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with an opportunity for each according to ability or achievement. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."
America has always been viewed as a country of opportunity. Ours is a nation built on immigration. Its diversity of culture, races and languages combined to make us the leading, most diverse and respected nation that we have become today. Our remarkable democratic system has contributed to this diversity. We depend on each other.
Our early ancestors, in pursuit of the American Dream and the "Hope" that it inspired, dared to explore new horizons, freedom of choice and action, enduring enormous injustices, inhumanities, and severe hardships as they were woven into the texture of American life. Often stereotyped and discriminated against, they suffered verbal and physical abuse because they were "different." Yet, undaunted by lack of possessions, illiteracy, discrimination and discouragement, they sacrificed and toiled constantly, making substantial contributions to the economic strength of America and to a richer cultural diversity in the field of arts, music, education, language and cuisine. The new image culled from the foreign wilderness helped mold and maintain the enterprise system that has made America what it is today, the financial center of the World. Whether they worked on farms, in factories, building railroads, bridges, towns and cities, their rewards were greater than any country could ever offer... America is a nation among all nations, a leader of the World. A nation wherein every citizen enjoys his or her rights, especially in the area of choice and opportunity, in comparison with the restricted freedom found in other countries. Now, centuries later, America is still providing this same freedom and opportunity that our ancestors pursued, in whose footsteps we follow. The American Dream is still ours to embrace, still alive, even if it seems as though it is on a respirator. It is our job to revive it, not sit and expect it because it was "promised" to us.
Our forefathers had extraordinary courage, faith and confidence when it came to maintaining the right mental attitude in the midst of negative external forces. Think Valley Forge in the dead of winter facing an overwhelming military might with no shoes on your feet. Well, we're in an economic Valley Forge. Do we fight or flee, make excuses and blame or give it our all? The forefather's example should be an inspiration to all of us. I think we can also learn some lessons from them. With courage and faith, we will mentally prepare ourselves to manage and cope with the problems we face today, which will help us to find solace and determination in the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Today is our chance to establish a firm basis for tomorrow. Let's keep our feet firmly on the ground and march on down the path of Faith and Hope, no matter how cold or hard it seems, and face the battle that has been forced upon us for we are conquerors like our ancestors, not quitters. America! NOW is the time to roll up our sleeves and get tough, dig in and hold our ground, work together to defeat one more enemy, this financial crisis. Learn to be a witness to the wonders that life will bring. Think yes we can, and yes we will overcome. It's time to make our forefathers proud.
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