Happy Birthday, America!
It is immensely important to celebrate and show appreciation for the things we value and want to keep in our lives. Like our freedom. Whatever we celebrate expands.
As you might expect, there’s another side to that coin. I saw a sign in a dentist’s office years ago that said, “Ignore your teeth and they’ll go away”. A simple sign with profound truth. Ignore your spouse and they’ll go away. Ignore your customers and they’ll go away. We are at risk of losing what we take for granted and don’t appreciate.
A conversation with a young man on a flight to California left me with the same insights I’ve gained as I’ve traveled the world. His native country is Hungary and he has lived in the U.S. for three years. I asked him the question, “What is one thing you’ve observed about American culture you can share with someone who’s always lived here?” He responded quickly with the comment, “Americans truly don’t understand how easy life is here. Every American should be required to do an exchange study in another country for one year. That would change your land.” He grew up under communism and was only allowed to learn English, (a highly sought-after goal), in 1979 when he was 18 years old.
This weekend, as we sing the patriotic songs (yes- I still cry for some inexplicable reason), let’s turn our attention to the things we love about our country. Freedom is at the top of my list. I’m thankful for the freedom to worship God, the freedom to create wealth, to pursue dreams, to travel. The list can become long quickly and it deserves to be made.
Certainly, there are those that argue that there’s too much wrong with our nation. No doubt, there is.
But we must continue to focus on what’s right with America. There are deep economic problems, but as an entrepreneur, I can make a difference by building a successful business. There may be deep political problems, but I’m free to make my voice heard.
By celebrating faith in God, I can overcome a spirit of fear.
By celebrating success, I can overcome a spirit of failure.
By celebrating entrepreneurship, I can overcome a spirit of entitlement.
By celebrating life, I can be a flame of hope.
So what are you celebrating today?