As we celebrate Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday this weekend, many Americans will reflect on various aspects of his character and service to his country. When I think of President Reagan and his legacy, my mind immediately goes to his optimism.

He viewed America as a great country aspiring to great things, sometimes failing, but in the effort, achieving. He did not see America as a fundamentally flawed endeavor or failed experiment. He understood before how amazing and exceptional America is because of her people.

But he also knew that America is more than her people. Freedom, Justice, Opportunity — these governing principles enshrined in our Constitution have made America the most wonderful country in the history of the world.

Looking at the problems our country is facing, it is easy to grow discouraged at the obstacles we see in front of us — heavy debt, burdensome regulations, high unemployment, a failing education system, and security issues at home and abroad.

But I have hope, in large part, because we are not experiencing these problems for the first time, and we have overcome before. In the 1970s I was working as a school nurse and raising my children. Like the rest of America, I watched the stories on the news about Iran and the growing influence of the Soviet Union, experienced the pain at the gas pump, and felt the effects of inflation.

Ronald Reagan moved into the White House at a time when the nation not only had big problems but a government that had sapped the spirit of the American people. He looked at our troubles and saw opportunities, and his optimism gave us hope, a quantity more valuable than all the government programs in the world. His leadership led to a booming economy, a strong defense, and a safer and freer world.

He had a simple vision for America: Expand freedom and you will expand opportunity. If we summon the fortitude to confront our problems with optimism and courage, we will live out his legacy and forge a stronger more secure America for our children and grandchildren.

– Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle is a freshman from New York.