I am an engineer

We made the railroads of Vanderbilt possible,
and Rockefeller's standard oil,
and Carnegie's steel,
and Mellon's aluminum,
the Ford car and every one made since then.

We designed the great ships that brought immigrants to a new land,
and the planes that bring us back,
and the televisions that connected us to rest of the world,
and the technology that created the food systems to feed them.

We worked the space program that sent men to the moon,
and brought them back when the systems failed,
and launched a satellite to chart the universe,
and submarines to explore the oceans.

We made skyscrapers possible,
and schools, and hospitals, and churches,
with air conditioning,
and elevators.

But none of this was possible without
electricians,
carpenters,
plumbers,
pipe fitters,
sheet metal workers,
machinists,
operators,
teachers,
nurses,
janitors,
police,
fire fighters,
farmers,
drivers,
laborers
who built and maintain this world.

It's thanks to them that we are what we are, and that we have the potential to achieve greatness.
And they all deserve our gratitude.