In 2026, America celebrates 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is a rare milestone, not only because of the number itself, but because of what it asks of us.

Two hundred and fifty years is long enough to see the strength of an idea, the cost of preserving it, and the responsibility each generation carries when it inherits freedom.

At the same time, the world is arriving on our doorstep.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being hosted across North America, with matches in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. For the first time, the tournament includes 48 teams, which means more nations, more flags, more languages, and more visitors gathering to celebrate a game that already belongs to the world.

That overlap feels meaningful.

America is not only marking its past. We are being given a living, breathing opportunity to show who we are in the present.

The World Comes to Visit

People will come for soccer.

They will come wearing the colors of Argentina, Mexico, France, Ghana, Japan, Brazil, Morocco, England, the United States, and many more. They will come with songs, accents, prayers, family traditions, rivalries, hopes, and joy.

But after the matches are over, they will also experience something else:

Us.

They will meet the person giving directions in a crowded airport. The server who takes time to explain a menu. The hotel clerk who smiles after a long day. The neighbor who helps a visitor find the right train, gate, street, or stadium entrance. The stranger who celebrates a goal from another country because joy is contagious.

That may sound simple, but simple moments often reveal the character of a people.

Hospitality is not only what we offer in our homes. It is what we offer in our posture toward the world.

Seeing America Again

Sometimes, those of us who live here grow accustomed to the blessing of this country.

We become used to the vastness of the land, the freedom to travel, the ability to gather, the diversity of our communities, and the opportunity to build something from an idea.

We become used to open roads, public parks, small businesses, churches, stadiums, libraries, neighborhoods, and city squares. We become used to the fact that people from many countries can stand together in one place, cheer for different teams, speak different languages, and still share the same table.

Visitors may see these things with fresh eyes.

And if we are wise, we will let their wonder remind us not to take our blessings for granted.

Gratitude Is Not Blindness

Being grateful for America does not require pretending we are perfect.

A principled love of country is not fragile. It can tell the truth. It can acknowledge conflict, failure, sacrifice, and unfinished work. In fact, real gratitude becomes stronger when it is honest.

America has always carried both promise and challenge.

The promise is freedom, opportunity, self-government, service, faith, responsibility, and the belief that tomorrow can be made better.

The challenge is that these principles do not live on paper alone.

They survive only when people choose to live them.

That is why the 250th anniversary should be more than a celebration. It should be a reflection.

Principles Must Be Practiced

Principles are easy to admire from a distance. They are harder to practice when we are tired, divided, busy, offended, or afraid.

Yet that is exactly when principles matter most.

Freedom asks us to respect the dignity and agency of others.

Opportunity asks us to create pathways, not just protect our own advantage.

Hospitality asks us to welcome the stranger with decency.

Responsibility asks us to care about what we build and what we leave behind.

Community asks us to remember that a nation is not only a government or a flag; it is also the way ordinary people treat one another every day.

As visitors come from around the world, we have a chance to practice those principles in real time.

Not through speeches. Through behavior.

The Blessing of Being American

I believe there is something powerful about being an American in this moment.

Not because we have everything figured out. Not because our history is simple. Not because every headline reflects our highest ideals.

It is powerful because we still have the ability to choose what kind of people we will be.

We can choose gratitude over entitlement.

We can choose service over cynicism.

We can choose hospitality over suspicion.

We can choose principle over noise.

We can choose to see visitors not as interruptions, but as reminders that the world is watching, participating, and, in many ways, hoping to experience the best of us.

That is a privilege.

It is also a responsibility.

Celebrate. Reflect. Be Grateful.

As America turns 250, I hope we celebrate.

We should celebrate the courage, sacrifice, creativity, and perseverance that brought us here. We should celebrate the freedoms we enjoy and the opportunities that still draw people from around the world.

But I also hope we reflect.

We should ask whether we are living the principles we claim to honor. We should ask whether our businesses, communities, and daily interactions make things more human, more responsible, and more aligned with the values we say matter.

And above all, I hope we are grateful.

Grateful for the chance to live in a country where people still dream, build, gather, compete, worship, create, disagree, reconcile, and begin again.

Grateful for the visitors who will help us see our home with fresh eyes.

Grateful for the reminder that freedom is not only something we inherit.

It is something we practice.

So as the world comes to celebrate the game, may we remember the greater invitation in front of us:

To celebrate. To reflect. To be grateful. And to live guided by the principles that make this country worth loving.