For those of you who have the highest trained consciences

For those of you who have the highest trained consciences:

Happy Independence Day!

It's one of my favorite holidays, and like you, I'm sad today. It is a bit of a struggle today to feel good about America. All around social media, I saw pessimism and dismay today. Like this:

and comments such as: 

My answer is this. Being disgusted and outraged is Patriotic! The reason you feel outraged, disgusted, and less-than-patriotic is because you instill the very hope and the values that are at our base. We must not abandon American ideals now! We must, now more than ever, embrace the standards that have driven America for the last 242 years. Yes! Enjoy your hotdogs and watermelon today. Engage in some introspection and self-care. Dig down and find your strength as individuals so that we can, together, lift America out of this pit. America is great -- we need to work hard to make it better!

Why must we be Patriotic?  Because it's hard.

“Nothing in this world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty. No kind of life is worth leading if it is always an easy life. I know that your life is hard; I know that your work is hard; and hardest of all for those of you who have the highest trained consciences, and who therefore feel always how much you ought to do. I know your work is hard, and that is why I congratulate you with all my heart. I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life; I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.”
― Theodore Roosevelt, American Ideals: And Other Essays, Social and Political


Go Team Resistance!

Little Sister Resister with a cuppa (gifted by Big Sister Resister!) and a good book.