Happy Birthday

Last weekend we celebrated the 244th birthday as a country in the USA. Some said we would never last this long as a democracy. While we have had our difficulties, we have also experienced success. This year finds us contemplating the reality of racism while trying to look through the fog of those who would steal that important message to promote their own agendas.
 
I know America. I know the people who invested in my life. I have experienced the value of having someone believe in you when you were vulnerable and needed it most. For me, that was Mrs. Vinson. She was my 4th grade teacher. She took a “husky” insecure boy and gave him the opportunity to lead. She taught me how to respect myself and others. She saw potential through the fog of self doubt and fear. I am a 50-something year old white man who remembers with fond gratitude the love and investment made by a black elementary teacher. That thankfulness has nothing to do with color and did not begin with the events of this year. Mrs Vinson was a good person.
 
There are good people in our country who are striving to listen and to understand. There are good people who want and need to be heard and understood. There are good people who desire to come together and positively address the evil of racism that exists in our culture and our country. As we begin our 245th year as a nation, I suggest we focus on true measures that will defeat racism. There are many people of all colors and creed who are good and who are willing to invest in addressing and making significant progress together as one nation.
 
When we choose to focus on the message of coming together to facilitate positive change we will make a difference.

Larry