For many reasons, over the Fourth, I’ve been thinking about citizenship and being an American.

It’s easy to be disgusted with the status quo… but somehow that separates us from the way things became entrenched. We’re probably part of the problem — and hopefully we’ll choose to be part of the solution.

It’s easy to feel isolated. It’s seductive. But it can be a drug that immobilizes us.

It’s good to work with other people. But until we find our tribe, we need to do the work that carries us forward. But so easy to disdain those who think differently than we do.

We’ve got to find the common ground.

And to do that we’ve got to understand what we believe and commit to loving this country of ours — loving it enough to do the work to change it.

So, on the fifth of July comes the invitation to become a better American and a better you. I will try, too… May I become an American Peacemaker…