Sometimes it takes hours to find the day’s link. Sometimes it takes minutes. Today, it took seconds. The title alone — “America Is on the Right Track” — explains why. I’d say this column plays into my confirmation bias that things are better than they seem, but pieces like this come along so rarely that my bias is never confirmed. So really, “America Is on the Right Track” is news more than anything.

As with all great columns, I don’t want to do David Brooks’s a disservice by summarizing it. I do, however, want to encourage you to share it with others when they despair for the country. And I’d encourage you to return to it when you’re frustrated as well. Columns like this are far more evergreen than their squeaky wheel counterparts because they highlight the solutions we’ve proven we’re capable of. It’s impossible to dismiss the mountains of statistics he provides on improved standards of living and employment and personal contentment. These things matter. It doesn’t mean everything’s perfect, but when was it ever? And when did catastrophizing over our problems offer clear-headed solutions? We need to consider what’s working to solve what’s not. And, as Brooks points out, plenty is working. We shouldn’t be afraid to accept that.