The older I get, the more the nostalgia hits, and the more I feel the responsibility to teach my children about the incredible history this country holds. Thanksgiving has a way of bringing that feeling forward. The familiar recipes, the family stories, the traditions that have quietly lasted through generations all remind me that our culture only survives if we choose to pass it down with intention. I think often about the moments that shaped us as Americans. I remember Fourth of July fireworks that lit up summer nights, school plays about the first Thanksgiving, baseball games under bright stadium lights, Disney movies on weekend mornings, and neighborhoods decorated with flags. I think about the stories of Washington’s determination, Lincoln’s steady leadership, and Dr. King’s vision that moved a nation. I think about the courage of soldiers who fought far from home, the strength of families who built lives from nothing, and the belief so many carried that hard work could create a better future. These memories lived in our childhoods and shaped our identity as a country. They are not small things. They are the pieces of a shared story that gave us a sense of belonging. But culture is not guaranteed. It only lives when we teach it, protect it, and tell the stories that shaped us. And we cannot allow a generation to grow up believing that America is something to resent. We owe them a sense of pride, a sense of understanding, and a connection to the sacrifices and the hopes that built this country. This Thanksgiving, that was what I found myself thinking about and grateful for. The history that shaped us, the values we inherited, and the responsibility we carry to make sure the next generation knows the beauty of the country they come from.