America is turning 250. And we’re throwing a yearlong celebration of the greatest country on Earth.

The greatest? Yes. The greatest.

We realize that’s not a popular thing to say these days. Americans have a way of taking this country for granted: A recent Gallup poll shows that American pride has reached a new low. And the world at large, which is wealthier and freer than it has ever been in history, thanks to American power and largesse, often resents us.

We get it.

As journalists, we spend most of our time finding problems, exposing them. It’s what the job calls for.

But if you only focus on the negatives, you get a distorted view of reality. As America hits this milestone birthday, it’s the perfect moment to step back and look closely at where we actually are—and the reality of life in America today compared to other times and places. That reality is pretty spectacular.