In the Collin County Courthouse lobby stands a sculpture by James Nathan Muir of Lt. Col. William Barret Travis - "The Line."

Locking my eyes on the dramatic sculpture, tuning out the background hustle and bustle, I go back 174 years in Texas history.

The evening before the fall of the Alamo, on the morning of March 6, 1836, three days after Texas independence was declared, Lt. Col. Travis called the 186 men of his command together for one final time to apprise them of their hopeless situation.

With no reinforcements coming to their aid in time, and surrender out of the question, their only options were to fight or to run.

With his sword, Travis drew a line in the dirt, and after a stirring and powerful speech, bade each of his men to measure the strength of his own convictions and courage, and thereby choose to take that ultimate step -- to live or to die for freedom.

"Those prepared to give their lives in freedom's cause, come over to me."

All save one crossed the line and marched into eternal glory.

Kan Gaidziunas is a staff writer for the Van Alstyne Leader and The Anna-Melissa Tribune.