I am your elder citizen.
Respect me.
I built the nation’s highways, bridges and freeways.
Value me.
I exchanged horse-driven buggies for high-powered cars.
Appreciate me.
I turned one-room schoolhouses into colleges and universities.
Esteem me.
I replaced the victrola with radio, stereo and TV,
Applaud me.
I have lived through six wars and eleven presidents.
Honor me.
I watched atrocities: the Holocaust, Hiroshima, Bloody Sunday and Mai Lai.
Promise me.
I walked on the moon, and dared to transplant a human heart.
Revere me.
I found a cure for tuberculosis and a myriad of other diseases.
Venerate me.
I shed tears for John, Martin and Robert.
Cherish me.
I am a fountain of wisdom, a reservoir of knowledge.
Treasure me.
I am the sculptor of your future, the author of your past.
Ennoble me.
~ Gloria Parker
