Happy Birthday, Land of Mine
Today is America’s 232nd birthday celebration. She’s growing up so fast, isn’t she?
While we’d show our age differently at 232, in terms of countries and nations, that’s mere adolescence. Take, for comparison, the earliest known rule of mainland China, dating between 2100-1600 BCE. The Thirteen United States declared their independence from a nation that dates back to 410 CE.
Of course, we’re older than some others we hang out with: Canada just turned 141 years old a couple days before us; New Zealand is a little wet behind the ears at 101.
Its a fun, mid-summer’s day to take a break — do some relaxing on the beach, camp out in the woods, take out the boat and jetskis, do a bit of shopping, and otherwise relax from the stresses of everyday life for a day. At the end, take in the celebratory fireworks and get hyped up about kicking British ass!
Yes, it is the one day when patriotic nationalism gets to take center stage, when we get to be proud of who we are and what we have and horde it above everyone else.
I’m proud to be an American. Sure, I could wax poetic about freedom and liberty and all that. Equally, I could use this as a platform to decry the government’s abuses of power and oppression of groups and peoples through the years. But the positives and the negatives combine to contribute to that pride I hold.
You see, it is because of that combination that we are able, as a society, to challenge ourselves, to grow to even greater heights of human accomplishment and inginuity. Its easy to focus on one’s shortcomings, but turning them around and into something positive: that’s the stuff history is made of.
As Americans, we must never settle for the status quo. There are always opportunities ahead of us to ensure life, liberty and the persuit of happiness for our people and those who wish to join us. There are always opportunities to right wrongs we have made — and nay, more opportunities to make more wrongs in our teenage years. But today, we rest and celebrate our accomplishments. We take a break to engage in all sorts of activities, ready tomorrow to go back to perfecting our union. We take a break from divisions that separate us and join together as citizens of the UNITED States.
So happy birthday, America. May God continue to bless you and your people with all creation.