Reflections on Hope and Resilience

These are days when many are discouraged.

In the ninety-three years of my life,

depressions have come and gone.

Prosperity has always returned and will again.

And now on this my birthday,

I desire to reaffirm my belief in the fundamental

principles upon which this country was founded:

liberty,

unselfish devotion to the common good,

and belief in God.

As a nation,

looking proudly to our past where it has been

noble and recognizing

with humility our mistakes of

extravagance,

selfishness,

and indifference, let us,

with faith in God,

in ourselves, and in humanity,

go forward courageously resolved

to play our part worthily

in building a better world.