Why This July 4th Feels More Meaningful Than Ever for Some East Texans

(KNUE-FM) Next week, we will be celebrating Independence Day as Americans with our East Texas friends and family.

Feeling Ready to Celebrate This July 4th—Or Not So Much?

Feeling festive? I hope so. :)

I've struggled with feeling festive, I confess.

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That's not because I don't love America as much as I ever have; every year I live, I become increasingly thankful for this country and what a privilege it is to be a part of it.

It's because there seems to be a lot of stress on many East Texans.

There's much turmoil in the world right now.

It’s Okay to Feel Concerned Right Now

It appears that there's a significant division between East Texans of differing views and Americans in general. Political unrest and personal struggles, economic or otherwise.

We're feeling a bit of pressure, for sure. I've been tempted to just binge-eat more of that edible cookie dough I can seem to get enough of while binge-watching something to distract me until this particularly stressful season ends.

READ MORE: Your Guide To Independence Day Fireworks In East Texas

But we should celebrate America. It wouldn't be right to sit it out, perhaps especially right now.

Despite the problems we face as a nation and even the wrenching social turmoil, we're still America.

Why Our Freedoms Matter More Than Ever

I'm thankful that we still have the freedom to disagree. We still have the freedom to fight what we believe in our hearts is right. We still have the right to stand and voice our opinions, even if we disagree.

I do wish we weren't so polarized, though.

It's one thing to disagree, even vehemently. But I confess, it's hard to watch friends and family become estranged and for friendships to be severed.

Hoping This Holiday Brings Us Closer

I hope July 4th can somehow heal us a little and maybe even close the chasm that has widened between groups with different views.

What the Founders Knew About Struggle

The truth is, this nation began with a struggle. It started as a rebellion against what the colonists perceived as injustice by a monarch ruling from a place that was increasingly feeling like a foreign land.

They were taxed and treated unjustly. They were subjected to the heavy hand of the privileged and worked hard to do the best they could with what they were allowed.

They prospered, yes. At the same time, it became clear that ultimately they'd have to stand up against the powers that held the colonies in a weakened position. Only then could the full potential of this nation be realized.

But at first, it wasn't pretty, was it?

The Hope Hidden in Hard Conversations

Today, we continue to strive for what we believe to be justice, even though opinions on what that means and who it encompasses may differ significantly.

Right now, during the struggle, let's be kind to each other--even those with whom you disagree politically. Maybe them especially. Learn to appreciate nuance and difference--not because you have to agree.

But honest discussion leads us to the truth. Which we can take and use, hopefully, to build the kind of nation and world we want to live in, not just for us, but for the generations to come.

Why We Should Celebrate America, Perhaps Now More Than Ever

Very often turmoil and struggles, though dark and complex, while we walk through them, lead to real change for the better. This story is as old as time. It's a story Americans know very well.

And since we know this story can have a happy ending, it gives us hope if we allow it access to our hearts and minds. And that is indeed something to celebrate. That is part of what makes us American.

Long live freedom. May truth, love, and justice reign in our hearts and in this country.

And may the chasm between our neighbors begin to heal, despite our differences. For our kids, our neighbors, those who are vulnerable, those we love, those who deserve love--for America.

One nation, under God.

Happy Birthday, America.