Recently I was listening to the radio and an advertisement came on that said "When was the last time you saw the Great Wall of China stretch out before you? Or When was the last time you took in the beauty of the Great Pyramids of Giza? Well, maybe it's time you did".
After the commercial was over, I turned off the radio and began to think more deeply into that question. I thought about the Pyramids and the Great Wall of China and the Champs Elysees' in old gay Paree'. But something stirred in me. My American patriotism woke up and took over.
Folks that know me, know without a doubt that I'm a red, white and blue, dyed in the wool, flag wavin', Yankee Doodle Dandy American. But I'm even more of a BBQ lovin', yee-haw shoutin', rodeo goin', God Bless Texas, fifth-generation native of the greatest state in these United States also. I have had the opportunity to live in over a dozen of America's glorious states, while serving with the United States Navy. And each and every one of those states have great contributions to the development and long standing prosperity of this great nation.
So, while my thinker was pondering over the thoughts of visiting the Great Wall, the Champs Elysees' and the Pyramids, I couldn't help but think of all of the places I haven't seen in my United States of America yet. I have been fortunate enough to visit many places in the U.S. that had were important in our independence from the British Crown. I've seen Betsy Ross's home, the Franklin Mint and Independence Hall in the great city of Philadelphia. I've been inside the Cabildo in Jackson Square in New Orleans where in 1803 the transfer ceremonies of the Louisiana Purchase took place. I've been a lot of places and seen a lot of things, but I haven't seen everything in America. Who am I kiddin'? I haven't even seen everything in Texas yet and my family has been here since the 1840's!
I don't know that I'll ever get to the Great Wall or the Pyramids or get to stroll along the Champs Elysees' because first I have a few other places to visit. I need to stand in awe of the Smithsonian Institute and its millions of artifacts that were key to this country's development. I want to catch a trophy brown trout out of a remote river in the vast beauty of Idaho. I want to attend a baseball game at Yankee Stadium and hear the deafening roar of the voices of arguably the greatest baseball fans in the world. I want to trek along the Colorado River at the very bottom of the Grand Canyon. I want to touch a glacier a thousand miles from civilization in the Alaskan wilderness. I would love to drive a car at over 200 mph on the Salt Flats in the remote regions of Utah. There are even more things I want to do in Texas, like eat at the Salt Lick BBQ house and revel in the emotion of the play "Texas" as I gaze over Palo Duro Canyon. I want to visit the home of Sam Houston and make a tour of the early missions of Texas. There are so many things I could do right here in America.
I know that some may say that what I want to do and see can't compare to the beauty the rest of the world holds in high regard. But I'm reminded of the old saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". And although I know those things that aren't here in the United States are glorious and magnificent, those things here in America just happen to be glorious and magnificent too. And before I die, I want to do as many of those things and see as many of those places that I possibly can right here in the good ole' U.S. of A.
I am very flattered that people from all over this world taken a peek into The Impulsive Texan blog each and every day. The marvels of modern technology never cease to amaze me. And I pray no one takes offense at my thoughts on this, because I promise, I won't take offense on yours if you get a hankerin' to see your "glorious and magnificent" places before you visit America.
God Bless all ya'll'...
"I may not get much done, but I sure am slow"...
Amen!!
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