100 Word Challenge: Promise

One morning each week I volunteer at a local elementary school. Before classes, students read announcements over the intercom, and one selected kid gets to lead everyone in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Wherever we – the volunteers – are in the building or outside on campus, we stop what we’re doing, face the general direction of the flag flying at the school entrance, and say the pledge.

If we’re in the middle of a conversation, we stop, mid-sentence, hand over heart and say the pledge.

It’s like the world is in suspended animation.

“… with liberty and justice for all… “

Then the spell is broken and everyone restarts conversations and continues walking, as if nothing happened.

I don’t know if the students truly understand this ritual. Do they understand what the pledge represents, or why they are expected to either say the oath or stand-by respectfully quiet? I don’t know how much of the history behind the pledge is taught in class, or if there is any in-depth discussions over it’s meaning – or as in-depth as elementary school kids can get.

The Pledge is still sacrosanct to me. Hand over heart, standing still and facing the flag, I say those words, “One Nation under God…”

Is our nation perfect? Absolutely not. Are all citizens equal and protected under our laws? Absolutely not. Do I try to the best of my ability to emulate the promises in that pledge toward everyone I meet? Yes, I do.

Maybe, with our younger generations we can do more to get them to understand and strive for, to demand, “liberty and justice for all.” Because we should be a united nation.

“I weep for the liberty of my country when I see at this early day of its successful experiment that corruption has been imputed to many members of the House of Representatives, and the rights of the people have been bartered for promises of office.” ~ Andrew Jackson

This week’s word is:

Promise

What to do:

Using “promise” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.