10 Reasons Americans Can Be Happy Right Now

Or, 10 reasons to stop whining about everything

As Americans, we love nothing more than using social media, really any form of communication, to complain about all the things we hate, are irritated about, find frustrating, or otherwise dislike. The time is more than a little ripe for a reality check. We have a lot to be grateful for, despite what we may think. Without further ado, here are ten reasons we should all be thankful for what we have right now.

1. We are not engaged in a war. On Wednesday, March 16, 2022, CNN was covering, live, the address to Congress by Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. In it, President Zelensky showed images of the war currently raging in their country. CNN apologized to their viewers for the images due to their graphic nature. Americans got apologies for being subjected to the images of war. For Ukrainians, those images are their reality. We should feel incredibly grateful that we are living in relative peace.
2. We live in a country that mostly allows us to say, without fear of retribution by our government, whatever we like, no matter how hate-filled it may be, or how critical of our government and politicians.
3. Our right to peaceably assemble allows groups to protest on public lands and roads. Our system of highways and interstates, birthed and funded by the U.S. federal government, has allowed an entire group of people to protest what they believe to be our federal government’s overreach (now non-existent COVID-19 vaccination and mask mandates) by disrupting traffic around the nation’s capital via a multi-day “trucker convoy.”
4. St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are back with a vengeance. If the bars in and around Washington, DC are any indication of a larger trend in the country, people are planning to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day just like in the before times, whether they’re actually Irish, have Irish lineage, or just pretending to be Irish for the day.
5. Our unemployment rate has fallen from an April 2020 high of 14.7% to 3.8% in February 2022. That is the lowest it has been since the pandemic began.
6. We live in one of the world’s only superpowers, and the only one that exists as a democracy. Our country may not be functioning well, but we are not mired in authoritarianism, just extremism.
7. As of right now, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to decline. And, the percentage of fully vaccinated Americans has reached 65.3%.
8. The kids are all right. The kids in school today, from elementary through high school, are more aware, care more, and are more committed to finding innovative ways to make a better future for our planet.
9. We have no nuclear power plants under threat because of earthquakes (or possible tsunamis) like Japan, or because of war like Ukraine.
10. Our citizens are not being conscripted into military service, for any reason, let alone because they need to either to defend their homeland, or invade another country.

A bonus reason!: We. Are. Not. Being. Bombed. Out. Of. Our. Homes. Towns. And. Country. By. A. Murderous. Lying. Dictator.