10 Things I Love About the United States of America

No doubt the US is not a perfect country. It never has been. It isn’t today. And it never will be. If for no other reason than that I live here! But if something had to be perfect for me to love it, I would be a perpetually unhappy man. So, while I admit there are important issues before us today that need to be addressed, I pause this Fourth of July to share 10 things I love about the US of A.
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1. I love that there are dozens of flavors of ice cream when I go to the grocery store, not to mention countless varieties of everything else.
2. I love the possibilities that exist to learn. Whether it be in classrooms, in libraries, on the internet, or through a book bought on Amazon, I can always learn a little more about something.
3. I love our state and national parks. From Yosemite to the Grand Canyon and from the Grand Tetons to the Florida Everglades, one can never run out of great places to explore. And don't forget those long beautiful coastlines!
4. I love the availability of health care. I know it may not be as available for some as for others, but from what I’ve seen during my travels, I would much rather be in the US with a strange ailment than in a place like Guatemala or Uzbekistan.
5. I love that as a Christian I can legally speak of my faith and meet with others who desire to do the same.
6. I love that I am generally able to navigate my surroundings without fear. That does not mean that I feel safe at all times (and that sadly my black friends often feel more unsafe than me), but when I consider the plight of those in North Korea or Syria or Afghanistan, I am grateful for the safety we do enjoy.
7. I love that this country has both world class cities and wide-open spaces. Sometimes a night at a downtown theater is first rate, and sometimes driving in the country is just what my tired soul needs.
8. I love that the US has more foreign-born residents than any country in the world and the variety and perspective and yummy food that brings.
9. I love our capital, Washington, D.C. The fact that I can go inside the White House, the Capital Building, the Supreme Court building, and the country’s largest museums all for free, and without knowing a single person who works inside, is rather remarkable.
10. I love the USA because the people I love most live here.