“If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life, and I had to start again with just my children and my wife…”

That opening line from Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” hits differently as I get older. It’s not about waving a flag or fireworks—it’s about perspective. Losing everything and still finding gratitude. Standing in the ashes of what used to be and realizing that what’s left is what always mattered most.

I’ve built a life full of memories, keepsakes, and a few prized bottles on the shelf. But if all of it disappeared tomorrow, I’d still have Daryl. I’d still have Lizzi and Sully. And that means I’d still have everything that truly counts.

The next part of the song says, “I’d thank my lucky stars to be livin’ here today, ’cause that flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away.”
That line isn’t just about national pride—it’s about gratitude when life gets stripped to the studs. It’s about the freedom to begin again, to rebuild, to hold tight to the people who make it all worth starting over for.

Things can be replaced. People can’t.

If I lost it all tomorrow, I think I’d still wake up thankful—thankful that I could take Daryl’s hand and face the day together. Thankful that the people I love most were safe. Thankful that God’s mercies are new every morning, even when the morning comes after loss.

It’s easy to confuse comfort with blessing. But sometimes, the greatest blessings show up only after comfort is gone. And if I’ve learned anything, it’s that the things that can burn, break, or blow away were never the foundation anyway.

The foundation is faith. It’s family. It’s love that endures when everything else is gone.

Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.