While driving through the Florida Panhandle I flipped on the radio and heard a song that has stayed with me ever since.

“When I die, I hope there is a hole in the floor of heaven so I can look down at you.”*

What if that were true? What if those who have died can look down at Earth and see what’s going on? 

Suppose the lookers were not America but from a small country in Africa. They have never heard of Americans but they are fascinated at what they see.

“Look at that, there is a huge crowd around the big building with a dome. They are waving signs saying NO MORE WAR. “

“And there is another group across the street with signs saying SUPPORT OUR TROOPS. They aren’t shooting or stabbing each other. We solved our problems by stabbing our enemies with swords.”

“And look over there. It looks like a line of beggars. At the head of the line there are people handing out food and clean clothes. We never gave out free food. Our poor people died of starvation.”

“What are all those bug-like things in long columns with red tails? There are people in them. Some of the people are reading and some are holding a black brick up to their ear. They must be waiting in line but the ‘bugs’ are pretty and most of them look new. They must be expensive. They don’t look like the donkeys we rode on.”

“That’s a really big city down there. We had only one big village and it was shrouded in smoke most of the time from the cooking fires. This city has clean air and that river looks like it is full of fish. We don’t have rivers.”

“I think I would like to live in a land like this. Compared to where I lived there is mostly civility and harmony. People seem to settle their differences peacefully and take care of their people. What a wonderful place.”

Sometimes we forget to see what others see. We hear the TV anchors and read the newspapers tell about the killings and robberies and graft. While these things are bad and need fixing,America is still a great place.

People argue over politics and sports but can shake hands and be friends. Almost everyone can afford a car and buy food for their families. Sure, we have tough times with a lot of people out of work but basically our economic system is sound and will bring us back to better times.

So, when we hear how awful our country is and how misguided our leaders are, remember that we are still the best in the world and the place where most people would like to live.

* My other favorite Country song is “I met my honey in the Port-A-Potty line”.