As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, I've found myself thinking about what truly makes a country strong.

It's easy to look to politics, policies, or programs. But I wonder if one of the greatest nation-building projects happens around dining room tables, on back porches, beside swimming pools, and in living rooms where grandparents read one more story before bedtime.

Every hug.

Every shared meal.

Every family tradition.

Every memory we intentionally create.