For geofft.

I began as a seedling, high in the Sierras of Nevada. With the nourishment of the clean, fertile soil of the earth, and the nutrition of the clean air and soothing rains, I grew into a sapling. I was protected by the driving snows from the howling winds of Winter, knowing within myself that I was destined for greatness as a strong and mighty tree.

For years, I grew. Left to that which I knew best, and did best, I became. I did not know what my greatness would become, or the cost that would be required of me to accomplish it. But, I somehow always knew I would be great.

One day, full of many rings that added to my impressive size and strength, a strange thing happened to me. I was killed. My greatest was torn asunder. But every cell of my being held the greatness within me still. Lumber became strong walls, while my branches warmed the fires of homes across Nebraska during the worst of many Winters.  Even the dust left from the machines, lying on the ground around me were vacuumed up into a hopper.

Those particles would be carried a far distance, and would be pressed into a shape all their own. They called it a "blank". "I am not a 'blank'", I tried to scream at them. "I am greatness!" They did not hear me, yet they did seem to treat me in a very special way. It was as if they, too knew that I would be great.

"Look at my strong lengths of wood!" I told them. "Did I not make safe the walls for the family I protected? Did my boughs not decorate, then warm their home? Is this not greatness?"

But, they seemed to know. Yes, these things are great, they seemed to assure me with their carefully measured looks. But your greatest greatness is yet to be. They sent me to Ohio, where strange things happened, and ink from North Carolina and Kentucky, and even Vermont was applied to my "Blank" form. I was one of many thousands just like me. But, among them, I was destined to be great.

Finally, and without even my own knowing, I arrived in a strange place called Wisconsin. Somehow, my heart beat stronger. I could feel it. My greatness, born in a seedling, full of nourishment and nutrition, was upon me. I could feel it.

I was laid on a stack of other "blanks", and they held us together with bright blue tape that told me it had become in places called Montana and Tennessee. The tape spoke to me of a "knowing". It was sure, it said, that it was destined for great things. We shared our thoughts as we were picked up, and placed carefully into some kind of thing called a "vehicle". My heart was fairly racing, and I could not imagine what was to lay before me.

Strangers took me from the pile of my brothers, and began shaping me. I became a box.

"Ah! THIS is what I was destined to become. This is my greatness!"

No sooner had this last thought cleared my dust than some troubling, disconcerting questions arose. I had doubts. For the very first time, I was doubting my greatness.

"How is a box great? What greatness can a box provide? How will being a box be my desiny? From a giant among my kind, to merely one of many of a kind I was not planted to be? How can it be?"

Then, a very quiet voice spoke to me.

"Dearest box, you were created for greatness, it is true. Fear not your own greatness, for this is why you became.

"For, you see, you will carry the hopes of mankind, in a strange land, and a very strange time. There are those close by who wish to destroy me, you see. Many great persons have protected me, for many years. Yet, today there are those who think I should die. They are willing to kill me, dear box, because of what I am. Millions have protected me with their lives, their blood. They have given gladly to make certain that I remain. But, in these times, many would harm or even destroy me. Today your greatness will be seen by the entire world, because my dear box...

"You will carry me. My name is democracy. It takes a very special and strong box, indeed to bear the hopes and dreams of a nation. Only the very best, the greatest of all the boxes can carry my burden, dear box. You have been chosen. This is your greatness, and the moment of your greatness is now. So, will you carry me, dear box?"

Humbled, and somewhat ashamed, I answered the voice.

"Yes! I will carry you. I will hold you securely, and bear your burden more than I was created to bear, because you are greater than I. Do not worry, democracy! You are safe with me. Come, let us go now together to that place we were destined to join so very long ago. I will be your box!"

And so, they came, together. The box, and the most important of all possible things which it carried. Proud, humble and absolute, carried by two strong and loving hands,  they entered the place where they were first destined to live out their greatness so very long ago.

I am the box you carried yesterday. Thank you for making me great.