A TRUE PATRIOT?

From the day that I decided to pursue my career in a MNC, there was one thing that always ran through my mind.. one question.. the answer to which I still am very unsure of.

I know what i would want the answer to the question to be.. I know what would answer if anyone asked me the question.. I know what anyone would answer if asked the same question.. but i realise sometimes that I have never given it a serious thought. My answer to the question shrouded with glibness until recently.

The question... am I a TRUE PATRIOT?

During my childhood, I had very strong ambition to join the army. I was inspired the stories of gallantry and sacrifice for one's country and I also wanted to make a difference. But as the years went by, my emotions went through a transition.

I still am deeply patriotic but the desire and the drive to make a difference seems to have lost its track. As I got better qualified, I started to aspire for the luxuries that I could afford with it. I was motivated by the competition around me to thrive in terms of comfort and stature as a successful student. This transition was gradual and subconscious. The transition was from a true patriot to a mere patriot.

I still am patriotic. I will stand up for my country in any argument and I will always support my country in each and everything, no matter how it fares. But what bothers me is whether this emotion is a reflection of my selfish desire that I and everything associated with me should excel or is it a true selfless emotion for the nation. This is a very tough and a scary question to answer.

Within my community there is always discussions on the state of affairs in my country and most of the time it is a discussion how sordid the state is. I have become one of those talkers who merely engage themselves in the discussion but never really tried to do something abt it.

I am a patriot there is no doubt abt it, but the question on whether I am a true patriot is still to be answered.