I’ll be honest: there’s a lot of ugly stuff going on in America. Most of it isn’t new, but it is more visible these days than it once was. I’m sure there are very few of us who haven’t felt hurt or betrayed or angry or frustrated or shocked or disappointed yet again this last year and a half.
And yet.
Many people are reaching out to their neighbors in ways they never thought to before. For every cruel act committed, hundreds more Americans reach out in kindness + healing. When one person shouts the hateful things in their heart, dozens more cry out, “NOT TODAY. NOT HERE. WE ARE BETTER THAN THIS.”
Are we perfect? Not even close. We have so much work to do. Prejudice to acknowledge. Systemic injustice to dismantle. Fear to cast out and stubbornness to overcome. Too many of us (read: mostly white, cishet, able-bodied folks, including myself) have ignored these problems for too long. Things are not okay. Our brothers and sisters are hurting.
But I believe in us. I believe America—the land, the people here, the flawed “unfinished symphony” begun two hundred plus years ago—is indescribably beautiful. We have such potential for goodness.
We can do this.
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.
I’m taking the rest of the week off to celebrate with my family, but after that? Back to making my corner of the internet a little more intentional and a little more kind. Have a safe + happy holiday, friends!
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