by Dan Stoddard

Though some of today’s political leaders and commentators may try to tell us that the American Dream is dead – or was always a myth – they are wrong.  America is still the Land of Opportunity.  Throughout the country there are countless examples of women and men of humble beginnings who have achieved a degree of success and contribution they could hardly have dreamed of as children. I know because I have seen them, I have met them, and (in a small measure) I am one of them. I write this because I want to share with young people and their parents what I believe are keys to that success – keys that for them will unlock those same opportunities for a happy, successful, and fulfilling life in this great country of ours.

There is nothing particularly special about me – and that is exactly the point.  I have no unique, innate talent (that fifteen-inch vertical leap cut short my hopes of pro basketball career at a very early age). Despite that fact, my life has taken me from a small home in rural Missouri, to becoming a senior executive at a Fortune 500 company here in Virginia. Along the way I’ve travelled to multiple countries; shaken the hands of congressmen, senators, governors, and at least one vice-president; and had the opportunity to serve my country in the United States Navy. I have also been blessed with the ability and the means to serve and contribute to numerous charitable and social welfare organizations over the years.

So how did a young man who grew up in a mobile home, far out in the country, whose father never finished high school because he left to join the Navy and fight in World War II, and whose mother raised him after having lost a leg in an automobile accident at a young age, have so many opportunities? Application of a simple formula – one that is available to young people of all backgrounds: getting an education, having a thirst for knowledge, accepting that risks and challenges are a part of life and that setbacks are not signs to give up, but opportunities to learn and grow, and a lot of good old-fashioned hard work. Those things, along with integrity, respect for others, strong faith, and love of family and of country, are the quintessential American Values – ones that any young person can and should embrace.

I’ve had my share of good fortune – and just plain luck – along the way. Perhaps foremost among that good fortune was having loving and supportive parents. They were not college-educated, but nurtured a love of reading and always stressed the importance of education. We did not have a lot of money, but I never lacked for books (I wonder to this day how they were able to afford that set of Encyclopedia Britannica when I was only eight) or whatever support they could give to help me chase my dreams. I know not everyone is so fortunate. Some young people live in broken homes and some families are led by a single parent who is heroically doing everything he or she can to keep the family afloat. Even in those circumstances the values of integrity, hard work, education, and respect for others can lead to remarkable outcomes.

Next to a loving family, the single greatest piece of good fortune for me was this:  being born in the United States of America. Being born in this country is like winning the lottery. As is true with any human creation, this country is imperfect, but despite its imperfections, the United States of America remains the freest, fairest, and most dynamic nation on earth. Too many people born here take those things for granted, something immigrants almost never do. I am reminded of a recent dinner conversation with a warm, engaging, and very successful colleague who immigrated to this country at a young age. I said something along the lines of “if this country is as awful as its critics claim, why would millions of people around the world literally crawl over broken glass to get here?” His response initially puzzled me, but then he brought his point home: “You’re wrong about that. It’s not millions, but billions of people who would do that to get here. This country is amazing and they all know it.”

Those of us fortunate enough to reside in the Commonwealth of Virginia have an even greater advantage. We are blessed with wonderful educational institutions at all levels, a variety of landscapes and natural wonders to fire the imagination of any would-be scientist, and a wealth of historical sites and museums that display first-hand the full scope of American history. Our state provides a wonderful foundation — one on which we can build by helping all our young people access the best it has to offer.

So what is my message?

To young people: we live in a wonderful country and a state that, with a little effort on your part, will give you opportunity after opportunity. Love your country, act with integrity, respect others, work hard, stay in school, play by the rules, and never be afraid to accept a challenge.

To parents, extended family, and others who care for and raise our young people: keep up the emphasis on education, preach the values of hard work and respect, and love and support them along the way.

The results will amaze you.

Dan Stoddard, recently retired as chief nuclear officer for Dominion Energy, lives in the Richmond area.