Believe it or not, on Wednesday our nation will be celebrating its 242nd Independence Day! Now, more than ever, I am grateful to be an American, living in a country where freedom is still a reality. Not a day goes by that we are not reminded of the war, oppression, and deprivation of human rights that devastate so many lives and nations. Still, many Americans take for granted their individual liberties, forgetting that they come at a tremendous cost. Thousands of soldiers sacrificed themselves in pursuit of our nation’s independence, and ever since, our service members have continued for 242 years to dedicate their lives to protect the freedom on which America was founded. Although I have never served in the military, I have the utmost respect and gratitude for those men and women who have fought, and continue to fight, to preserve our rights and the values of this country.

That’s not to say America does not have its fair share of challenges, and I, like many others, don’t always agree with the approach taken by its leaders. But the beauty of America is that its people hold the power to challenge and change the status quo, and to redirect the country’s trajectory when it veers off course. This is why, even when America is not the greatest version of itself, it is still the greatest nation on earth.