


I hope not.


An overnight package arrived recently with an advance copy of the memoir written by our friend, Gavin McLeod. The next morning, I awoke in a pre-dawn hour and settled into a chair to read the book. Gavin, you may recall, made his mark in television in two shows: "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," where he played Murray, and "Love Boat" where he was the stern but gentle-hearted Captain Stubing.


After reading a few chapters of this autobiography, "This Is Your Captain Speaking," I put the book aside and began to think of the American Dream and what it meant to the people of Gavin's generation. They struggled through the Depression, fought a world war and came home to build industrial America. They took advantage of America's myriad opportunities.

My own parents managed to leave the poverty of the Appalachians. Mama took a job in a hosiery mill to make 10 cents an hour. It was much better than the place from where she came, where refrigeration was a wooden crate plopped down in the middle of a cool creek. It kept the milk and butter from spoiling.


The American Dream. Pure and simple. Why aren't we doing more to extol it these days? Why aren't we celebrating the opportunities of a country where the poor can rise mightily?

Have we forgotten how blessed we are to be Americans?

• Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of There's A Better Day A-Comin'. Visit www.rondarich.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.