by Khadim Hussain

Created on: September 08, 2010

Patriotism is a noble trait in a personality. It shows one's deep and genuine love for one's own land. Such pure love for one's country ennobles a man and inspires him to serve his homeland selflessly and devotedly. Every Patriotic person is immensely proud of his country and is every ready to sacrifice anything even his dear life for the sake of his homeland.

Once Abraham Lincoln said, " I like to see a man proud of his place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be prod of him". This inspirational quote inspires many to love his country. At the same time, it also motivates them to make all-out effort for the welfare and betterment of their country. Mere claims of patriotism devoid of any practical action or pragmatic approach will serve no purpose whatsoever. It amounts to only lip-service or hollow slogans.

Patriotism consists not in waiving a flag, but it sonsists in striving hard to achieve laurels and great success for our country to bring good name for it in the comity of nations. It is always sweet to serve one's country by deeds. The sense of being useful to our country in whatever capacity we are gives every patriotic person immense pleasure and supreme satisfiction. " Patriotism is not short, a frenzied outbursts of emotions, but the tranquil and steady dedication of lifetime.", says Adlai Stevenson.

Love for one's country is always admirable and appreciable, but one must be careful not to blend Patriotism and Jingoism. Jingoism is extreme form of love for one's own country to extent of hating all others. It leads us to xenophobia. We are supposed to have deep love for our country, but this love of ours should not be confined to just our Land. Love is all-pervasive. We love all humanity living in different parts of the world. We don't hate them. But the place we live in is most dear to us. George Santayana once said, " To me, it seems dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography."

Every patriotic person loves his country not because it is great, but because it is his own. Therefore, everyone of us is supposed to be loyal to our country and strive to help it make progress by leaps and bounds. Nothing delights a person more than to see his country being prosperous and stable.

May our Land shine forever! May God give us strength to do something useful for all humanity in general and for our country in particular!

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