The differences between these United States can be simultaneously fascinating and disconcerting. Here in Arizona there is a wildness, a greater sense of freedom and self-reliance than in California. Many of the differences between the diverse states derive from the different landscapes and environments; the nation is varied and vast. The red rocks and sea of desert surrounding Sedona and much of Arizona enforces a can-do tough confidence. My home in the Bay Area of California resides in a valley between a forested mountain range and a grassy set of hills. It feels different. From the dissimilar ecological systems comes different cultures, separate histories. All these factors forge different narratives in each region. When you let go and take in all these inputs and wonderings, it’s enthralling. But we must celebrate our diversity and make common cause with the humanistic principles that keep us United. Our path forward as one people, and one day as one species, lies through reason, using science, towards freedom and equality for all.