My address

I shared my story last night at my home group.  I was surprised that I ended it short, as I have spoken twice before, and had no trouble filling that allotted time.  My only true intention was to be a vessel of light, of God's merciful spirit.  I hope that I did good, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be cemented to my fellow members now.  

But it was not easy, and I went to my mother's to debrief after the meeting.  I was upset that I seemed to have blanked out, so while she purposely informed me that she was not comparing me to the likes of this great orator, she told me about Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address".  Back in early America, people gave speeches - it was an event, and a speech would go on for hours; it was what people did for entertainment.

The only picture of the Gettysburg Address, is Mr. Lincoln sitting down, a blurry image captured, because the photographer thought he had a long time to set up.  Meanwhile, the speech was under three hundred words - and arguably one of the most important and memorable talks ever given.  

I used to debate on political forums about ten years ago, and it was generally believed that the Civil War was not actually about slavery, but Mr. Lincoln's speech shows that the 21st century generation needs a history lesson.

Here is the Gettysburg Address.  There are several known copies, but this is the one that is on display in the White House.  Let us please remember what America truly represents!  

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln

November 19, 1863