On Friday evenings I participate in a group that speaks Italian for one hour.Last night there were ten of us and the host encouraged us to tell the story of how our families came to America.It was a fascinating experience and the one binding element in each story was courage.Despite overwhelming hardships every family bravely lived through circumstances that were in some cases worse then their country of origin.We are the descendants of such courage ,and though it may appear dormant that heritage flows through our bodies and souls.They did not have the luxury of merely being critics or navel gazing about how difficult life was,they slugged it out ,and we have benefited from their tenacity and will to make better lives.This realization pulsates in me this morning and drawing from their courage I want my life to be more than that of a critic seeking the America of my youth. I rather wish to build on their commitments and make my world a little better today and the days to come.