ORDINARY PEOPLE DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.

As this Independence Day comes to a close, I wanted to share a thought that popped into my mind this evening.

One of the things that distinguishes America from other countries is this truth — more than any other country in the world, America is a place where ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Yes, some have an easier path to prosperity and opportunity — there is no doubt about that. But this country and the values and principles on which we were founded affords tremendous potential to its inhabitants. You can attribute that to many things — I believe our commitment to freedom and liberty is certainly the spark behind this fire, but there are other variables at play as well.

I have been more contemplative as of late. Partly because Aubrey and I are expecting our 2nd child, which comes with a unique set of challenges and opportunities that we are preparing for. But also because I have been troubled by the trajectory of civility and respect, or lack thereof, for those who don’t share the same political views as our own. Our non-political dialogue, in many cases, is as shallow as it has ever been. And with the wall to wall, unending coverage of all things politic, we are left to define our view of others more and more through a political lens.

Let me make something very clear — the freedom and liberty our founding fathers fought for and won and the words that make up our founding documents are bigger than a person, bigger than a moment, and bigger than a political party. These United States represent the most incredible melting pot of backgrounds and ideas the world has ever known. We can and will disagree today, tomorrow and most every day. But as long as we are all seeking to maintain a country where ordinary people can do extraordinary things…then I like our odds!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!