Editor’s note: This is the complete version of the original column that was published in Saturday’s edition.

NIAGARA, Wis. — Life in America has begun to change at an alarming rate. Every day the news brings us reports of yet another freedom that seems to be in danger of slipping away. The newspaper features editorials from educated people who warn us that the fabric of America is changing quickly. And we begin to fear that we may be in danger of losing our beloved country to forces beyond our control. We feel helpless in the face of such a huge threat. What can we do? A review of our collective history may give us some positive perspective, and a strong dose of hope may give us some comfort while we collectively work our way through the changes that may or may not be inevitable.

My husband and I received a large dose of hope a couple of weeks ago when we went to see the movie “Hamilton.” It is the musical that tells the story of how our country came to be; of how and why the colonists decided to break away from England’s rule. It is a serious story that is masterfully sung in a humorous manner. We see the character flaws of our founding fathers, the petty squabbles between them as different personalities collide and a variety of opinions cause disagreements. Pride, personal ambition, competition, and a clash of values are all present along with no small dose of fear. Yet, a belief in what America could become without England’s influence and a unifying desire for life free from King George’s rule serve as motivating forces to forge a new nation; a new land that guarantees individual rights and prevents a government from trampling all over them.

We all know the story of our country’s beginning and of the men who chose to rise to the occasion no matter the difficulties. What the movie demonstrates so well is that these were ordinary men — like you and I and our neighbors today. They shared a common belief that their individual colonies could — and should — come together to fight for a “more perfect union.” We have all been taught about the Revolutionary War that accomplished this: the battles that were fought, the blood that was shed, the sacrifices that were made, and the many lives that were lost.

Our forefathers emerged victorious and thus began the never-ending journey of our country; a country that would grow to become a world leader, a country to where many would travel to build a better life, and a country that would need to be ever vigilant against foreign and domestic threats to its land and the independence of its people. Over the course of nearly 250 years, we have fought countless wars to preserve our freedoms — and those of our allies — and to defend ourselves from tyrants who would seek to destroy this great land as they sought to advance their own belief systems and personal desires for power. And we have prevailed over our own internal enemies to remain free and to continue to enjoy those freedoms guaranteed to us by our Constitution.

Time and time again we have cared enough to stand our ground when our rights have been threatened. Our history books are filled with the accounts of these struggles: the Civil War, World War I and World War II, the Korean Conflict, and more recently the Gulf War and Afghanistan. We stood up against Russia during the Cuba Missile Crisis, which led to a years-long Cold War that threatened our nation’s safety. I can remember being in sixth grade gym class and feeling like bombs would begin dropping at any time. We even had civil defense drills in both elementary and middle school, as if getting under our desks or taking shelter in the gym locker rooms would save us. And we survived the internal betrayal of leadership during the McCarthy era and the Watergate scandal. We can and should take comfort in this history for it shows our resilience as a nation and the wisdom of our leadership in critical times.

Our history gives us reason for continued hope.

What is hope, exactly, and why is it so beneficial? Hope is a bit of a paradox. It can also be elusive. When we need it the most, it’s the hardest to find. If we hold on to too much of it, we run the risk of being naïve. Hope can be an important driving force or our biggest downfall. It can serve to push us forward through all manner of obstacles or act as rose-colored glasses that prevent us from seeing the truth until it is too late.

In its best form, it is the lifeblood of humanity for it allows us all to look forward into the unknown and believe that positive things await without any proof or concrete evidence.

In its best form, hope is mankind’s most important medicine as it eases our present ailments giving us strength to face the future as well as knowledge about how to shape it. Following are words from those who understand the meaning and importance of hope.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words, and never stops at all. — Emily Dickinson

Hang on to your hopes, my friend. That’s an easy thing to say. But if your hope should pass away, simply pretend that you can build them again.” — Paul Simon

Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I cannot reach them: but I can look up, and see their beauty; believe in them, and try to follow where they lead; remember that frost comes latest to those that bloom the highest.” — Louisa May Alcott

Hope in the shadow of fear is the world’s most powerful motivator. — Neal Shusterman

Hope can be a powerful force. Maybe there’s no actual magic in it, but when you know what you hope for most and hold it like a light within you, you can make things happen, almost like magic. — Laini Taylor

Just like moons and like suns, with the certainty of tides; just like hopes springing high, still I’ll rise. — Maya Angelou

In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: It goes on. — Robert Frost

Hope, or an expectation of future good, is of so extensive an influence, that whether true or false, well or ill founded, it is one of the principal springs that keep mankind in motion. — Andrew Fuller

Don’t ever underestimate the impact you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own. — Michelle Obama

When day comes, we step out of the shade aflame and unafraid. The new dawn blooms as we free it. Or there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it. — Amanda Gorman

Hope is a powerful elixir. Not only will it help to carry each of us individually through our own difficulties, but it is necessary to carry all of us — and our country — through troubling, and potentially dangerous, times. Let us work together to keep hope alive and help America continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave.