I recently returned from a 16-day trip to the United States, visiting 11 states and districts.

From our first step(s) south, there was an easy feeling that continued for the remainder of our trip.

Why is this notable? Because from where I live in Canada, the US is portrayed as a nation in crisis, divided on every level, yet this was not my experience.

I’ve struggled to write about my experience because so much information wanted to be expressed, yet the story was not complicated. Boiling syrup to get something sweet has been my challenge.

It forced looking at America and feeling into this brotherly dynamic we share. Looking at the deep roots that connect us and how we’ve grown to become who we are.

We are both free and sovereign nations, yet we express our freedom and liberty quite differently.

What I was expecting to see in the US were cracks in the fabric of this deeply patriotic nation and yet there were seemingly none. Back home in Canada cracks are everywhere, so what was happening?

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