Loving Her Anyway

I love the United States of America. I do. I love my country and I always have, even when she doesn't act the way I wish she would.

Our little town loves a good, homespun celebration. Parades and lights aplenty. Festive decorations everywhere. This time of year our neighborhood is decked in the traditional red, white, and blue that shows up around Memorial Day and carries us through till Labor Day. Our house fits right in with pennants and pinwheels galore. It might just be me, but I felt a little tentative about displaying my patriotism this year. Not because I have fallen out of love with America, but because I'm worried people will think I support the way she's acting. I'm not complicit, though. I'm just hopeful.

To me, the very foundation of America is hope. The hope that people can have better lives, escape persecution, and be free to live, work, and love the way they want to. I believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I want those things for myself. I want them for everyone. I believe most of us do.

In my heart, I have faith that most of us want the same things. We want the opportunity to make a good living, to provide for our families, to be healthy, to pursue our dreams, to do good, to feel part of a community, to be safe, to be able to buy groceries and gas and goodies, to enjoy this beautiful land of ours, and to share in the prosperity of a country we've built together.

We don't always know the best path to get to the country we want. We don't always agree on policies. We for sure don't always trust the same parties or politicians. But, at our core, we share the collective hope of a free and peaceful nation. I believe our better selves want all the world's nations to be free and peaceful. I know I definitely do.

I've only been around for less than a quarter of our country's 250 years, so I don't know if we've ever been more divided than we are now. I'm guessing we were during the Revolution, the Civil War, Watergate era, and probably other critical junctures in our history. To me, the current great divide feels deep and nearly impossible to bridge.

A lot of people profit from our division, but everyday Americans aren't among them. The profiteers sow hostility through bots and algorithms and compromised media and untruths and characterizing our neighbors as our enemies. Elections are won that way, but humanity is lost. I feel like- as a nation- we are a bit lost.

There are some who like the way things are going now and that's what they're celebrating this weekend. I'm celebrating what I believe America stands and has always stood for. I'm celebrating that our country has survived so much in its 250 years, and I look forward to overcoming this moment as well.

I'm celebrating because- even though your media might tell you that those who vote differently than you hate our country- I know in my heart how much I love the United States. I think most of us do. Now, we just need to get a little better at loving one another again.

God bless America. Land that I love. Happy Independence Day weekend, all.

Xoxo, B