I have been writing warnings of concern for several months now, and the concerns are valid. But by no means have I given up on America. Why? It's American — and Americans are freedom-loving people, but they're also nostalgic. Nostalgia is not a thing of the past, it's our heritage. It's more than remembering the good times; it helps us define our roots, re-live our past and measure our progress. This helps us know who we are and what we stand for and gives us a good foundation. Without a good foundation, nothing will stand the storms.
Life does have storms, with all its ups and downs. We need something to give us stability and peace of mind. Nostalgia can be a tranquilizer; letting us go back and relive a simpler time, when we maybe got “tired” from our labors, but not “tired of” the hustle and bustle of our stress-filled lives today. Being “tired of” drains energy levels to the point of exhaustion. People are quietly desperate, scarcely motivated and definitely bored; from the monotony of going somewhere they'd rather not, doing something they don't like doing, for someone they don't like, every day for the rest of their life.
Nostalgia is big business. Look at the sale of CDs, the ‘50s and ‘60s classics. We buy these because we can listen to them and mentally revert to some pleasant time in our life. Anything having to do with our history, or roots, collectibles they're called, is big business today.
In America, our history is relatively infant compared to the old world. With the great advances in knowledge, technology and mechanical design, life is on such a fast track; most people have trouble coping, much less keeping up. It's no wonder we have stress and anxiety so prevalent in our society. Anything that will give even a small break in the hustle and bustle of a busy life is sought by the masses. Our past does reflect simpler times.
Another reason for hope in America is — it's spiritual. Although the future has looked very bleak in recent years, II Chronicles 7:14 is still in the Bible; and many are invoking God's promise. My Dad used to say that God is a gentleman and that He would never lie. I believe that because He's never failed me. I do think the end time is near, but it doesn't have to be with our generation. A thousand years is as one day with God and my Bible also says only the Father in Heaven knows when it will be. God has blessed America and will continue to do so as long as His people honor Him.
And finally, I don't want my generation to be the one that lost our freedom. Read the story of King Ahab coveting Naboth's vineyard in I Kings, chapter 21. Naboth told him, “The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.” Americans are nostalgic, spiritual for the most part, and we will pay a huge price to preserve our freedom-loving way of life. “Lord grant me the courage to stand, the strength to fight and the wisdom to know your will.”
Solutions, not revolution!
Randy Thompson
Sycamore
