We think of men and women clad in camouflage and combat boots heroically fighting for the red, white, and blue. But the sacrifice is much more than a symbol of patriotic pride, and it’s felt at the uttermost innocent level. This level knows no government, no politicians, no corruption—just the rawness of living with their parent’s most selfless time of absence.
Leaves crunch on the sidewalk under the tiny footsteps of Velcro strap shoes. Her pigtails bob up and down with each giant step onto the school bus. She’s a happy, innocent victim of the price of American freedom.
No one at school knows, but tucked inside of her right Velcro shoe, there hides a hand-written note from her dad—just like there is every day. It’s special, and he seems a little closer when she thinks about it. She can’t hold his hand, or sit in his lap, and he won’t be picking her up from school today. But this is the next best thing.
The freedom to partake in our democracy isn’t free. It is paid for with pain, and the pain is distributed unequally in society. Yet we all complain. This “stupid” election, whether we support it or despise it, came at a hefty price. This election is the heaviness of not being able to see the sweet face behind the sweet voice on the other end of the phone. This election is the innocent yearning for a daddy’s hug before bedtime. This election is the embrace of Americanism that no one understands quite like the brave hearts enduring military service.
If anyone has the right to scoff at the American system, it’s those who went out and fought for it. If we truly love our country, we should appreciate it even in its ugliest moments. If we don’t appreciate our country for what it is now, we owe it to the lost lives that have come before us to remain loyal in a time when it is so easy to turn our backs to the American institution. The 2016 election is competitive and divisive, but let’s not forget the blood, sweat, and tears of the behind-the-scenes driving force of American strength.
We think we’re “strong” when we adamantly defend our candidate and their policies. We think we’re “patriotic” by watching every presidential debate and keeping up with the news. We believe we are entitled to the glorious land of the free, home of the brave, but we don’t understand the core of the sacrifice that deems us entitled.
Democracy is what welcomed Donald Trump, an outsider to American politics, into the presidential race. Democracy is what welcomed Hillary Clinton, a symbol of female empowerment, to elevate herself within the realm of the United States government. Democracy is what welcomed Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and the blank fill-in line to appear on the ballot.
Democracy is the institution that protects the children of soldiers from the terrors of international crises. Our America is comprised of attaining education, performing civic duties, working hard for what we have. There are problems in our imperfect country, and those problems should be addressed for what they are. But in the midst of this chaotic election, we ought to remember the good things about America through the lens of a global perspective.
A little girl, with a note in her right shoe, will unknowingly see her dad again for the first time in too long today. She’ll hear his voice, fall limp in his arms, and she’ll become a testament to the preciousness of humanity. His strong, brave shoulders will drop; his legs that courageously led him to danger will become weak.
What makes a hero stumble to the ground? It isn’t the sting of a candidate’s loss or unpolished comment. It’s the soul of American soil and everything upon it that grows—safely, peacefully, but not without burden.
Thank you to the troops and troopers who carry this burden for us.
