I walk outside and step onto the patio,
The smooth concrete is cracked and broken,
Between the gaps grow thorns and weeds of all kinds,
Choking all the other plants as they stretch to the sky,
But despite the coldness of the shattered pavement,
Life blossoms,
No matter how small,
Tiny yellow flowers fight for life,
Gasping for air among the suffocating thorns,
Like the flowers in my backyard,
America struggles for redemption,
Based on the faith of its forefathers,
It has become harsh and indifferent,
Lifeless and void,
Like the shattered pavement,
Relationships lose their strength, their love, and their commitment,
Now an electronic world,
America has become consumed,
Emails, texting, IM, Facebook, and MySpace,
Fill the cracks in the lives of the citizens,
Consuming all time and energy,
The morals of the “land of the free”,
Take a backseat in the rush of the vigorous lives,
In the “home of the brave”,
There is not enough time to even stop and pray,
The country has lost its determination to do what’s right,
And instead focuses on wealth, fame, and happiness,
All these thoughts enter my mind,
As I gaze at the concrete,
And I realize that hope blossoms here as well,
In the dark world, a light shines,
The flower struggles for life,
To repair the foundation of the country:
Faith, community, togetherness, and humility,
To let the light of Christ shine,
In the country that has lost its way,
To be like a flower among the weeds,
Of a concrete world,
To once again be “One Nation Under God”.