MONDAY INSPIRATION 🧨

Let Freedom Ring!

Jul 06, 2026

Dear Readers,

I hope all of my American readers had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend!

I had the joy of spending the week leading up to our nation’s 250th birthday in Logan, Utah, where I got to watch my son Eric perform in not one, but two remarkable productions celebrating American history. The first was 1776, which took its final bow on Independence Day itself—a fitting and moving way to commemorate the day. The second was the delightful opera Scalia/Ginsburg, inspired by the real-life friendship between Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

What struck me most wasn’t their differences—it was their friendship.

Here were two brilliant people who often stood on opposite sides of some of our country’s biggest issues, yet they never let disagreement overshadow mutual respect. They shared a love of opera, good conversation, and each other’s company. In a world that often encourages us to retreat into our own corners, their example feels especially meaningful.

It reminded me of these wise words from Benjamin Franklin:

“We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Franklin was speaking to the importance of unity at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history, but his words still resonate today. While we won’t always see eye to eye, we can choose to treat one another with kindness, curiosity, and respect. After all, it’s often our shared values—and even our shared hobbies—that remind us how much we have in common.

Whether it’s around the dinner table, in our neighborhoods, or within our own families, listening with an open heart can go a long way.

As we continue this summer, I hope we can all take a page from that unlikely friendship. Celebrate what brings us together. Be curious about one another. And remember that some of life’s richest relationships are built not because we agree on everything—but because we choose to care about each other anyway.

Wishing you a week filled with grace, understanding, and plenty of good stories to share.

With all my heart,