Celebrating America at 250

There is something remarkable about a nation reaching its 250th birthday.

As Independence Day approaches, I find myself with mixed emotions.

I also worry about it.

Those two feelings are not opposites. In fact, I believe they often go hand in hand. Loving something deeply means wanting it to become the very best version of itself. It means celebrating its strengths while recognizing there is still work to do.

Like many Americans, I do not agree with every decision made by our leaders. I worry about the divisions within our country and the strained relationships with longtime allies around the world. I know that many of my readers live outside the United States, and I sometimes wonder what they think when they read the headlines or watch the news. Do they believe we have all become angry, divided, or indifferent to one another?

The America I know is filled with people quietly caring for aging parents, raising children, volunteering in their communities, comforting neighbors after disasters, supporting local charities, serving meals to those in need, walking their dogs through neighborhood parks, and lending a helping hand without ever expecting recognition.

These are the people who rarely make the evening news, yet they represent the very best of who we are.

Participation.

But throughout our history, ordinary people have continued working to move us forward. They marched for civil rights. They volunteered after hurricanes and earthquakes. They taught children, cared for veterans, welcomed newcomers, invented life-changing technologies, protected our public lands, and served their communities in countless quiet ways that history books may never record.

As fireworks light the sky this Fourth of July, I hope we remember that birthdays are about more than celebrating where we have been. They are also an opportunity to reflect on who we hope to become.

Kindness over indifference.