It is the 4^th of July. It is Independence day in America. It is a day where everywhere across the country, people will be lighting off fireworks, raising their flags, and attending parties. They will be celebrating the country of the United States of America. I have never really considered myself a particularly patriotic person, but I still feel that the 4^th of July is an important day to celebrate.

Living in America right now is an interesting experience. Our election is fast approaching, and it seems that this year has been a year of tragedy and anger. From mass shootings to passionate political debates, America has felt like a country divided by ignorance and hatred this year. I have to admit there have been many times over these past few months when I have been ashamed and embarrassed by my country. There have been times when I have been frustrated by our lack of progress. It is because of my frustration and my disappointment that I will be taking a little extra time to be thankful this 4^th of July.

In a time when politicians preach about, “Making America great again!” I have started to ask myself, “has my country ever been great?” America has always struggled with oppression and hatred. We have always dealt with hate crimes, violence, and disagreement within our own borders. We have always been a country that is a work in progress. Our country was built by a group of men who had accomplished the impossible. We had fought a war with a global superpower and won. We were unsure, and building a new nation from scratch. Our colonies had become a country. Since then, we have struggled to understand and uphold the ideals that our founding fathers set out for us so many years ago. We have made serious mistakes. We have had great victories. The 4^th of July is a humbling reminder that our country is an idealistic one. It is a reminder that we still have a lot of work to do.

The 4^th of July is not a time for politics. It is not a time for hatred. This holiday is, more than anything I believe, a holiday of remembrance. We remember the ideals our Founding Fathers laid out for our country. We remember our own beliefs. We remember those who died hoping that our country would become a better place. We remember that we still owe it to those fallen men, women, and children to work towards that goal of freedom and democracy and equality.

So on this historic day, I will spend time with my family and friends. I will take some time, even if it is only a few minutes, to reflect on how far we have come since 1776, and how much farther we still need to go. We are a country in progress, forever striving towards our ideals and learning along the way. We have made mistakes, and we will continue to make mistakes, but we are trying. We are growing. We are resilient. We are a country of workers and immigrants and artists and doctors and writers and bankers and politicians and every profession in between. We are complex and diverse, and we have quite a bit of work to do.

I don’t know about you, but I think that is worth celebrating.