We celebrate achievements and boldly strive ahead.

 Do you believe in the power of positive thinking? I do. Sometimes you just have to have faith and move on. Let's reminisce for a minute. I graduated from high school in the summer of 1970 and began college that fall. 1970 was a remarkable time in our country. Many of the iconic entertainers and personalities from way back to the 1920s were still alive and well. Some were still performing. There were vaudeville performers, crooners, big bands, the music groups from the 1950s and '60s, and countless other genres.

For many of us who remember the 1950s, 60s, and ‘70s, our memories of those times are reflected in and rekindled by the music of that period. Much of that music had a common theme. People sang of a new day coming. Lyrics told of a future in which all people would be united in a peaceful recognition and acceptance of the fact that we are each different and unique. Popular songs encouraged love and tolerance and conjured up pictures of a time when peaceful coexistence would be the order of the day and all mankind would join in the common cause of freedom and justice for all; a time when mankind could be relied upon to assist those who needed assistance and value the best efforts of each and every individual who did their best, even when their very best fell short.

Over the decades, many have dedicated themselves to achieving the romanticized goals of our youth, the goals of liberty and justice, as contained in America’s historical documents, and the pursuit of goodness, grace and mercy in the eyes of God. Despite the polarization which plagues our nation today, much has been achieved.

I don't intend to go back. I believe 2025 will be the beginning of the realization of the dreams of our youth. We stand today at a crossroads, on the firm foundation those dedicated efforts produced. We live now in that new day foretold in our youth by dreamers, songwriters, and poets. Some would take us back to a dark, divided past, where ignorance and mistrust were the order of the day, and intolerance and bigotry were celebrated. For the rest of us, we see about us the realization of the dreams and ideals of our youth, the remarkable advances made by a nation inspired by dreamers, united by song, and faithfully dedicated to liberty and justice for all. For us, despite the many challenges we face, we celebrate achievements and boldly strive ahead.

Shannon Thomas Casebeer