I'm an American.

Katharine Lee Bates, born in 1829, believed that through literature, human values could be revealed and developed...

maybe that's why in 1883 she wrote the words to America the Beautiful. I've never truly read or paid attention to the words... But as the song was sung in church the other Sunday I was struck by some of the lyrics... I hear a lot lately about the negative aspects of our country - how horrible the state of the U.S is because of "this" and because of "that". As always, the negative is always the focus and it begins to seem that there is all bad and no good. Let us remember that there is A LOT of GOOD in America. Rather than complaining and building an inner resentment or hatred for aspects of our country maybe we should take the advice of Gandhi and "BE THE CHANGE you want to see in the world." Let us build upon the good so much that the negative and the things we don't like will eventually drown in the shadows of the GOOD.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!