I continue to love and be grateful to America

Does this sound like a controversial or clickbait title, I am asking myself, as I start this story. These days, it’s too easy to sound controversial. Often, you can offend someone with innocent musings, or the disagreement will have the colors you don’t expect. You get blamed for being privileged, too left, or too right.

In these final two days of the year, I struggled to come up with ideas for writing, and then it hit me — I am full of appreciation for America. Again — year after year. This past summer marked ten years since we came to the US. The decade has not been easy. But some things don’t change, like my warm feelings towards this country.

I have zero intention of being controversial. I just want to express my love.

I’m writing this onboard the Southwest Flight from Long Beach, California, to Saint Louise, Missouri. The final destination is Fort Lauderdale, Florida. When I was checking my changeover ahead of flying, I caught myself thinking that I’d be curious to spend a few days in Saint Louise. I love exploring America, no exceptions.

Actually, I did visit Saint Louise in 1995. I was a foreign exchange student spending a year in Oklahoma, and for spring break, we took a bus tour across the country, visiting Memphis, Philadelphia, Saint Louise, and New York City.

I visited most of these places later, except for Saint Louise. I even lived in Memphis for several months in 2018. I visited Philadelphia a year ago with my kids…