Good morning, er, late morning! I hope the world is being good to you and you’re being good to it.

Grab your coffee or beverage of choice and share a thought with me. (Hopefully your beverage is helping you keep your wits about you even if it is 5 o’clock somewhere!)

It’s the big 250, but the United States doesn’t look a day over 200. The 4th of July is like patriotic Christmas (or substitute your recognized holiday of choice here), where we can put aside political differences and any other angst of the time and reflect on what it’s taken to get us where we are and appreciate the good things we have in life because we’re fortunate to be in the United States. I’m not a “rah rah ‘Merica” guy, but I have no small amount of thanks for being a US citizen. There are worse places in the world, and we can’t truly know how good we have it.

My hope is that one day people’s main concern will focus on being good to one another to create a nation of unity rather than shows of righteousness and one-upsmanship. America is already great; it doesn’t need to be made great “again”. It can still be better though. There’s no need for divisiveness that creates ill-will toward one’s neighbors.

I’ve been watching Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution” and have about half an episode left (I highly recommend checking it out). It’s been enlightening because it shows how miraculous it is that the United States even exists. The “rebels” had no business winning the Revolutionary War and only did so through luck, perseverance, and England essentially growing tired of the cost and increased overseas threats. The colonial citizenry were greatly divided between those wanting independence and those content to remain under English rule. That division nearly rendered the whole enterprise untenable, and it’s not something that vanishes with the war’s end. The United States has dealt with rifts throughout its history, but again, through perseverance, reason, and, unfortunately, blood, she’s been able to persist.

So no, I’m not a “rah rah ‘Merica” guy, but 250 is something special in the country’s relative infancy. I hope there’s another 250 and beyond. The United States is lucky to be here, and we’re lucky to be in the United States. Have fun today and be safe! My algorithms are serving up far too many images of fireworks gone wrong.

America, f*ck yeah!