[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 30, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1408-E1409]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        ANSWERING AMERICA'S CALL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SAM GEJDENSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 30, 1996

  Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Peter Lakes, 
a constituent of mine from Putnam, CT, in placing fourth in the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars Voice of Democracy script-writing contest. 
116,000 secondary school students were asked to write a short script 
with the theme: ``Answering America's Call.''
  Mr. Speaker, the lesson of Peter's script is that it is our 
responsibility to pursue our dreams and make them real. Your dreams may 
be large or small, but achieving your dreams is what America is all 
about.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud of Peter's achievement and salute him. We can 
all do well by reading what he has written, and being as inspired by it 
as I am.
  I ask unanimous consent that Peter's script be included in the 
Record.

                        Answering America's Call

                            (By Peter Lakes)

       This past summer, my seven-year-old sister and I took on 
     the endeavor of completing a thousand-piece puzzle. Hundreds 
     of pieces were laying across the small table. My sister and I 
     spent much of the first attempt staring at the cover of the 
     box, baffled that the scrambled pieces would later fit 
     together to form a complete picture. I'd guess that about 
     seven hundred of those miniature pieces were blue. This large 
     number of blue pieces troubled me. I held one in my hand. I 
     know that there were four other blue pieces that would lock 
     together with this very piece. The intimidating thought 
     turned me off. I considered giving up. Much to my surprise, 
     my sister had already put three pieces together. She looked 
     at me with those strong willed, independent eyes and said, 
     ``Are you going to hold that all day? Looking at it won't 
     make it happen.''
       After days and months of meager progress, the day of 
     completion was near. My sister and I gazed confidently at the 
     small pile of unsatisfied pieces. We attacked what we dreamed 
     would be the beginning of the end.
       The moment had arrived. The final piece was in my sister's 
     hand. Seizing the moment, I diverted my eyes from the lonely 
     pieces and instantly directed my attention to its vacant 
     plot. At that moment, I realized that the vacant plot which I 
     had so easily found, was not the only vacant plot. Furiously, 
     we scanned the floor. We looked everywhere. The piece in my 
     sister's hand was not the last piece.
       Luckily, I had spent the last two months developing enough 
     patience for this very moment. My sister took the uncertain 
     piece, placed it in the box, and within five easy minutes, 
     the puzzle was disassembled.
       I took a moment to look over the past few months. It was an 
     experience to remember. There were moments of progress and of 
     frustration. I had to keep reminding myself that ``nothing 
     comes easy.'' After a while, the final picture wasn't 
     important to me, but rather the process and the experience. I 
     got to spend time; valuable time with my sister. She taught 
     me the art of being patient, together.
       Our goal had been achieved. We attained success. The 
     missing piece does not create failure, but rather highlight 
     the achievement. This is America's call. As individuals, it 
     is our responsibility to pursue our dreams and make them a 
     reality. We are all given

[[Page E1409]]

     the right to be someone, not something. We all have a part in 
     completing the puzzle.
       An American by the name of Charles Lindbergh heard this 
     call. As a boy, he enjoyed the art of flight. After two years 
     at the University of Wisconsin, Charles withdrew and followed 
     his dream. He attended a flying school. Little did he know 
     that five years later, he would be the first man to fly 
     across the Atlantic Ocean. After the thirty-three and a half 
     hour flight, it is no wonder why Lindbergh was greeted as a 
     hero. He sought out his dream. He found enough courage, love 
     and strength to make his dream a reality.
       Often, opportunity helps propel a dream. When Columbus 
     discovered the New World in 1492, Europeans had the 
     opportunity to start a new life. Many of them were poor and 
     felt life's course was beyond them. Many realized the risk, 
     but could see the vast opportunity. Those that came to 
     America pursued their chance. They found enough courage, love 
     and strength to take their dream, and make it their reality.
       This is the call of America. Fulfill your dream to be a 
     leader. Fulfill your dream to start a family. Fulfill your 
     dream! I'm going to fulfill mine. I often blame my failure on 
     time and frustration. I accuse the course of life of stealing 
     my dreams. But I am accusing the wrong person. I am the 
     guilty suspect. I must listen to America's call. Only one 
     person can create my dream, destroy my dream and transform my 
     dream into my reality. Myself.
       This call is telling America to go out. Don't look on the 
     outside for courage, look within yourself. Your dream might 
     not be to fly across the Atlantic, or to start a new life. 
     Your dream might be small. But every single piece of the 
     puzzle is small. Every time a piece is fit, it had an impact 
     on the big picture. As author Wayne Dyer writes in his novel 
     ``The Sky Is The Limit;''--``Your ability to be a No-Limit 
     person, and to go beyond even your most imaginative 
     expectations for yourself, is right in your own hands.'' The 
     only limit is the one you create. Focus your dream, and 
     strive for its achievement.
       Answer America's call--your dream is waiting on the other 
     line.

                          ____________________