A 4th of July Wish for America

marthaengber
1 day ago
2 min read

Today I took my car to an auto body shop to get an estimate on the time and cost of replacing some bolts on a detached undercarriage cover beneath the front of my car. I envisioned an expensive hassle. Instead, the mechanic jacked up the car and fixed the problem in 15 minutes…at not cost.

I tell you this because that dude is the reason I still love America. Him and all of you, no matter who you are or what your political viewpoint. Yes, our country is having a rough time. Yes, there’s a lot to be upset about. But our country has been sick for a long time, so maybe this is the turning point where we, in the face of so much anger and ugliness, can “just say no.”

Just say no to media outlets that stoke hate and fear. No to sharing or responding to negative messages about those who have different views. No to politicians who treat fellow Americans cruelly.

After thinking long and hard about whether I wanted to buy an American flag to replace the one I lost years ago, I decided I would. Not so much to celebrate our country, but to celebrate all of you and to encourage hope.

If you haven’t joined a Common Ground organization like Braver Angels or Better Together America (or subscribe to Vigilant Positivity, my uniting Americans blog and YouTube channel), which are working to reestablish civil discussion and change our government to one that actually cares about us, think about doing so.