...And To The Republic

Today, my family will celebrate my mother's eighty-fifth birthday. We will celebrate my dad's ninety-first birthday in less than a month. How can this be? I remember sleeping beside my little brother in the backseat of our Chevy, covered in a blanket of darkness, serenaded by the hum of the tires on the road, as Daddy's watchful eye peered into the distance and Mom's protective glances peeped over the backseat while her babies slept. It seems surreal how long ago these family visits to my grandparents were. Memories such as these were a lifetime ago for me.

Can you imagine my parents' memories of living in this amazing world for almost a century? They've lived through World War II, the Great Depression, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and scores of other conflicts. In their lifetime, the walls came down in the Soviet Union, men stepped foot on the moon, the television was invented, interstates were carved into the countryside, and high-speed rails, faster cars, and even faster jets forever changed the pace of life. International travel and communications have accelerated at lightning speed. I'm reminded of how much things have changed in their lifetime each time Mom calls when she needs help navigating her cellphone or smart TV. My sweet Mom and Daddy grew up in small communities where neighbors and church folk were like family with much in common. Each person in their communities was invested in their towns and each other because they would not survive without leaning on each other. Now they have easy access to a global community but don't even know the neighbors a block away. How ironic that people are being driven to more isolation and selfishness than ever despite (or perhaps because of) all they have at their fingertips.

As I think about how much things have changed in my parents' lifetime and mine as well, I can't wrap my mind around how much our world has changed. For a world that is so connected, those leading our social systems and who run our media, government, and institutions stoke the flames of tribalism more than ever. I don't buy this narrative of "them versus us." Perhaps it is because I was raised in the South where everyone was greeted with a hello and a wave, where strangers were treated like friends, where there were lots of "yes ma'ams and yes sirs", and where children were protected and the elderly were respected. Despite what we are led to accept in the news, I still believe there is decency and respect among people in our country and world. Division and chaos are not coming from those who love our country, but from those who hate it and want to either change it or destroy it. We know better and are better than this!

It is time for all American Citizens to remember what unites us - the love of country, family, freedom, faith, and hope. We all want to live in safety and sovereignty. We all want freedom and opportunity to provide for our families, flourish in our communities, worship in our churches, enjoy the fruits of our labor, protect and experience the beauty of our land, thrive in health and prosperity, and experience the love of family and friends. May we revive civil discourse and regain respect and dignity for each other. We must unite to save this Republic, our home - for ourselves, our children, and future generations. #UniteAmerica