Almost 145,000,000 Americans cast a vote towards the November 3rd presidential election last week! Let that sink in for a minute. Rather than cast this as an election between two candidates, I invite you to look at this last week – for just a moment – as a citizen of the United States of America.
Rather than lean into your inner “red” or inner “blue,” I encourage everyone to lean into your inner “red, white, and blue.” This living democracy that we all participate in has moved through 45 presidential administrations across 244 years. We have found our way through peace times, war times, depressions, recessions, prosperity, scarcity, pandemics, the nuclear age, and so much more.
Across my life, I have noticed something about “U.S.” We are an incredibly resilient people. To be an American is to have an opinion, a voice, and a passion for freedom. As we greet the week to come, be a giver and receiver of grace. We have been through a lot together. We are both stressed AND blessed – stressed by a close election and blessed to live in this country that has elections.
We have been given this freedom of voice through the sacrifice and service of many men and women who served and are serving in a uniform under a shared oath to protect and defend our nation.
I am one who thinks November 11th (Veterans Day) should always ring louder than the first Tuesday of November. While November 3rd seemed to divide us into two camps, November 11th should remind us of something much bigger, something much stronger, something much more precious and binding. It should remind us of our history, our legacy, and our commitment to each other as Americans. May we be GRATEFUL for each other and our nation!
May God bless America!
