I have always loved the Fourth of July. Our family activities over the years have ranged from driving up the canyon to the Brighton Breakfast or riding parades. In the evening, we’ve had the tradition of lighting fireworks with our neighbors. I love to celebrate America and appreciate the incredible and miraculous history of our country. This year our family enjoyed watching, “Hamilton” and gained an even greater appreciation for our Founding Fathers.
As I reflected on our celebration of America, I’ve thought a lot about the creation of our country, as well as the issues facing our country today. I have no doubt that the events that transpired during the Revolutionary War, the incredible feat of developing our country’s Constitution, and many other events during this time were truly miracles. So let’s talk about modern times. This year was interesting. Besides a pandemic, earthquake, and fires, we have civil unrest that has escalated in our own cities. Without getting into details of these highly emotional and often politicized specifics, I think it’s safe to say that most of us have seen the incredible divide in our society. No longer can we share a political viewpoint without others going on the attack. Social media has become a civil war of sorts where people seem to have lost all civility and respect for their fellow humans. This Fourth of July was interesting for me. As an elected official, I wanted to post something on my public Facebook page to honor the day, but I even found myself scratching my head… not sure how to post something that wouldn’t create drama, or could be politicized. I’m finding more and more that posting about puppies seems to be the only safe play on social media. I am grateful for our country. I know that America is an incredible place and we all have much to be grateful for. But right now some have their anxiety on high alert as we continually see news reports of riots, Covid cases on the rise, racial divide, earthquakes, and other crazy 2020 issues. So how do we find peace in 2020? When I was decorating my family room a few years ago I ran into an awesome sale at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I found a giant wood wall hanging with colors that matched perfectly for only $19.99 and I bought it. The words were nice. But never before have these words been needed more than this year. It says, “Peace is not about silence. It is not a place without trouble or fear. Peace is standing in the middle of chaos and finding the calm in your heart.” Whether upset by destruction during downtown riots, a crazy busy governor’s race, or other family issues, I’ve needed to remember where peace really comes from and how to find that calm in my heart. In the past I’ve struggled with anxiety - an ailment that seems to run in my family. Being able to look at things with a pragmatic viewpoint, relying on my faith to help me through, and getting enough sleep at night are some of the things I’ve learned to do to help me have that calm in my heart. It’s not easy, and there are many things that are out of our control, but relying on my higher power, keeping my friend and family relationships strong, and taking care of myself are things that seem to help. As we continue through this crazy year, my best wishes to you and your family to find that calm in your heart.
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Aimee Winder NewtonAimee Winder Newton has served since 2014 and represents Taylorsville, Murray, West Jordan, and West Valley City on the Salt Lake County Council. She was a former 2020 Republican candidate for Utah Governor and was the first woman elected as chair of the Council. Aimee works tirelessly to defend the quality of life in Salt Lake County while protecting tax dollars... [read more]
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Aimee Winder Newton | aimee winder newton: County Council district 3 |