Dear America,

Happy 240th Birthday. It's been nearly two-and-a-half centuries since you became the land of the free, and look at all that has happened since then. You've seen your population grow to 319 million people. Discoveries have been made, communities have grown, inventions have been created, ideas have sparked changes and victories have been won.

But of course not all things have been victories. You have fought wars, both against out brothers overseas and our brothers from other states. You have seen divisiveness over controversial issues create enough tension among your people to spark violence. You have watched disasters, both natural and human-made, wreak havoc and leave your people wondering how they'll go on. Tragedy, in many forms, has struck you again and again.

And so it continues. It seems every day we see news of someone dying, getting sick or going to prison. Even those in the government who are supposed to lead you spend their days fighting, unable to make progress and help you heal.

You are broken. You were broken when the love of money, prosperity, power and pride became more important than love for humankind and Mother Earth. It must be hard to stay proud of yourself sometimes, America.

But stay proud. Brokenness can be fixed.

You are still a country meant to lead, both within yourself and around the world. This tension you feel inside over politics and policy issues will pass. The violence that fills the streets will quiet someday. Those who face the greatest challenges of life will pick themselves up and carry on. You won't let your people down, America. You can't.

I promise to be proud of you. I promise to work to help you heal and bring your people together again. I promise to look at the world with both courage and kindness, and to be the best global citizen I can be. I promise to remember your rich and prosperous history, and to advocate for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.

Happy birthday, America. God bless the USA.