We’re celebrating a birthday today. Probably not in the ways we usually do and perhaps with fewer people around this year, but it’s a special day nonetheless. It’s a day that calls for festivities, but also for some reflection, perhaps.
It’s a good time to pause and acknowledge that though we may be, from our country’s perspective, 244 years old today, in the grand scheme of things, we’re a young sprite of a nation, loud and plucky, experiencing some epic growing pains but ever evolving.
And, like any individual, we are complicated and complex, trying hard to be all things for everyone, and not always succeeding. This year may be a particularly trying year for us, but there are always lessons to be learned, and hopefully we are taking notes, with the continued hope that we are growing into our best self.
It’s a good time to remember that we as a country catapulted into existence based on a radical notion of fundamental fairness, and this should continue to be our goal, even centuries later: fairness and equality – of opportunity, especially – for all. When we strive to create conditions for everyone to be their best self, we as a country flourish, shining as a beacon of democracy’s success to the world.
So this Independence Day – whether you’re enjoying fireworks, barbecuing, hiking, canoeing, camping, picnicking, or just enjoying some quiet time on your day off – we hope you take a moment to remember that we are all still part of this great experiment and that we’re all in this together, trying to find out footing forward in these epic times.
And we at Pendulux hope that you find something about this “birthday” celebration that brings you joy, whether it be a socially distant reunion with friends and/or family or something as simple as a killer grilled burger. You certainly deserve this day of remembering, recognition, and respite.