Sunshine, Fireworks & A Wish For America

By the time you read this, Bill and I will be stretched out under an umbrella at the Lava Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort — our favorite place to spend the Fourth of July.

Our tradition is simple. We float in the pool, eat cheeseburgers for lunch, and take an afternoon nap that feels like a piece of heaven. Then it's dinner at ‘Ohana (yes, we are there for the noodles), a Dole Whip float with a splash of rum, and fireworks on the manmade beach with what feels like 500 million fellow Disney fans. We will all be watching and listening as the music swells and the sky explodes with light, and I will get swept up in the moment, emotional and grateful.

But even during all the relaxing and indulging, I will be holding space for something more—a quiet wish for our country.

I wish that:

We all remember we’re in this together.

Listening and understanding is more valued.

Kindness isn’t seen as weakness.

Compassion guides us more than outrage.

Caring for the most vulnerable becomes a priority, not a debate.

Facts and dignity matter, and we all see each other as people who matter, and lastly;

Affordable healthcare becomes a right, not a luxury. (I say this as a person whose healthcare costs could potentially TRIPLE and become unaffordable next year.)

Happy Independence Day. We may not all agree on everything, but we can choose to see each other as neighbors rather than opponents. Here’s to a July 4th that reminds us not just of freedom, but also of our responsibility to one another.