Happy July 4th weekend! Whether you’re spending the weekend away or celebrating here at home, I hope you enjoy quality time and good food with friends and family.
The 4th of July is an easy time for us to remember our roots. It is a birthday after all! Everyone wears their flags and star headbands, there are fireworks, sparklers, and of course the local musings of the Boston Pops! I am proud to say that there has been a member of my family in the Armed Forces every generation dating back to the American Revolution. I've lived in all corners of the country and seen so much of the beauty it has to offer. Every day, especially on the 4th of July, I am reminded how proud I am to call this corner of our nation home.
Like many of you, I have been thinking a lot about the future of this country. No matter your party, many Americans are not happy about their options. In canvassing this week many voters across the district have brought this up in conversation - their grave concern for the future. Not just for the United States, but for Medford and Malden too. They cannot help but be frustrated, and honestly, neither can I.
However, I cannot help but feel that we must go forward in spite of that. On the doors, I meet doctors and social workers who are seeing increases in severe depression in their youngest patients. I meet careered teachers and paraprofessionals who are leaving the education field because support systems do not exist. I meet working families who just want to feel that someone knows what it is like to walk in their shoes. But within their stories, there is that spirit of believing in something more. There are still fights to be won. It is up to us to ensure that no matter how impossible things may feel, good things are possible. The most patriotic thing we can do is want more for this country.
This persistence, this dedication - the spirit of wanting better is at the core of this country’s beliefs. We want people to feel proud to live here and be hopeful about what can come of having conversations about transparency, funding, and access to resources. We can be excited about what we will leave behind.
So this July 4th I'm very much thinking about where will we be next July 4th, and the July 4th after that. Will we be better off? I think the answer is yes. When our communities and these residents come together to demand that something be different for families, for teachers, for healthcare professionals, union workers, caregivers, for everyone - that is how we can best celebrate these United States.
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