Although I don’t consider myself very patriotic, I hold a deep if peculiar respect for President’s Day. Especially concerning the current political polarization in America, I believe it’s important to honor the people who have made some of the greatest impacts on the United States, as well as reflect on where we stand today.

I always specifically think of 3 men on this day. It all started with Washington, from how he purposefully remained unaffiliated with any political party to his being adamant about serving only two terms. He set the standard for those who followed. Then it was Lincoln, who, in the country’s most vulnerable period, abolished slavery and preserved the Union. Finally, FDR guided the country through the Great Depression and World War II. None of these men were perfect, but they accomplished some important things with conviction, determination, and honor. The world would look very different today without these contributions.

Indeed it seems today is very different from those times. I hope many years from now I can look back on dozens of these holidays and see 2 things in particular: that we have once again bestowed honor to the office of the president, and that a much more diverse group of people have held that office. We must reflect on how we treat people and communicate with adversaries, and we must continue to examine ourselves and our society to ensure all peoples of all attributes have the opportunity to serve America and humanity.