I am an American by choice. I didn’t come to
the USA seeking asylum or protection from religious, ethnic, or political
persecution as some of my distant relatives had to do; some finding their way
to the United States to escape the horrors of the holocaust, or later fleeing
Soviet Russia. I came in pursuit of new adventures and opportunities. It took
me 8.5 years to become a U.S. citizen. And I am forever grateful for the wonderful
life and community that I’ve built here. I greatly appreciate being able to
continuously learn and grow, personally and professionally. To me, being an
American goes beyond a place of birth or identifying documents. It is about
commitment to the values that mark the foundation of the country - human rights
values.
As we celebrate the birth of the
greatest country in the world, I reflect on what it means to be American at a
time when families are separated at the border, when the Supreme Court approved
Trump anti-Muslim Travel Ban, and when it seems that Roe v. Wade might be in
danger. I find myself grappling with what I perceive as the decline of core humanistic
values, the idea of equal rights and being a beacon of hope. America was built
on courage in rejecting the oppressions of the past and the determination to
secure freedom, liberty, and justice for all. And yet the narrative has changed
to that of fear: fear of loss of jobs (immigrants steal jobs), fear of violence
(immigrants are criminals), and fear of pluralism and diversity.
We can only remain the land of the
free if we also continue to be the home of the brave by viewing the world as
abundant. It is our fear of scarcity that lead us to hoard, to cling to
material things as well as discriminatory viewpoints, to refuse to reach out a
helping hand or share our good fortune with the less fortunate. When we stop
worrying about imagined lack, we open up our world to possibilities and to actively
invest in the world we wish to have, a world of open doors, open hearts, and
helping hands.
For 4th of July, here
are 4 principles of an abundant mindset:
#1 Thinking big: an abundant mind
sees the bigger picture and recognizes possibilities and opportunities.
#2 Being Content: an abundant mind
appreciates what is and counts the blessing.
#3 Living Enthusiastically: an
abundant mind is an optimist and creates positive personal impact.
#4 Embracing Change: an abundant
mind is quick to learn, adapt, grow and thrive.
Adopting a national abundant
mindset, we can re-commit to the principles that made this country great and
expand the American Dream to make our world bigger, more connected, kinder, and
more inclusive. Let’s be the change we want to see and open ourselves to better
understand different people and cultures. One way to do this is to read. Books
can expand our minds and inspire the power of human connection. Check out Global
Citizen’s 10
Powerful, Uplifting Summer Reading Books for Global Citizens.
May we be brave enough to exercise
our freedom and use it as an opportunity to do what is right within the
community in which we live and work and as global citizens of the whole wide
world.
I wish you Happy 4th of
July in hope of a renewed national spirit of courage, liberty, and justice for
all.
