Kidnapped

Prominent on the news is the story of a girl who was kidnapped last week. All over Wal-Mart are pictures of children who have been kidnapped. Never, in all my history lessons, do I remember a time when children were stolen from their families, except for the Pied Piper. Do You??

They say that history repeats itself. Many theorists think that the United States, like great empires of old, is on its way down. That we, as the Romans, the Greeks, and countless others, are getting close to a great fall. And I wonder, watching the evils on the news, whether the theorists are right because many of the atrocities that proceeded the demise of other societies are now occurring in our own society.

But as I continue watching the news, I see that the problems are not just with us. The evil has seeped into every nation, every country, every society. Little by little it has come. But now it is coming in stronger and stronger waves. And I wonder, how long will the good hold out? How long will hope remain?

And it reminds me of a song from "Man of La Mancha".

To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe,

To bear with unbearable sorrow, to run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong, to love pure and chaste from afar,

To try when your arms are too weary, to reach the unreachable star!

This is my quest, to follow that star,

No matter how hopeless, no matter how far;

To fight for the right without question or pause,

To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly case!

And I know, if I'll only be true to this glorious quest,

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this;

That one man scorned and covered with scars,

Still strove with his last ounce of courage,

To reach the unreachable stars.

I know that there's a lot of bad in the world. But I also know that if we keep fighting for the good that in the end, all will be right.