A letter to a personified United States of America

Dear United States of America,

My words may provide little comfort, but I’m writing them anyway because sometimes when it feels like no one understands, kindness makes all the difference. So here are they are, what you do with them is up to you.

I’d like to begin by saying I know how hard it is to be different. It’s only natural to compare yourself to others. Still, I hope you keep some perspective. Remember, you’re younger than most other countries. There’s still more than half a century before your 300th birthday.

Despite your naivety, you’re mature beyond your years. It’s no wonder the world watches and judges your every move. It may not feel like it now, but your youth is not a weakness — it’s your strength.

It means you aren’t committed to a paint by numbers type of life. You, my friend, are an open canvas. One not limited to preconceived notions of how to rule but modeled after the very people who reside within your gilded frame — We, the people.

Let me take a moment to remind you,

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

~ Declaration of Independence

You were created by the very best intentions of humankind. Your birth is a symbol of freedom and bringing forth a new way of living. One previously unthinkable, one where equality and humanity matter. Where everyone is allowed an opportunity to thrive and the very best of what makes us human is celebrated — our innovation, adaptation, and compassion.

But the unthinkable must always endure uncertainty and dealing with uncertainty isn’t easy for mankind. Wonderful though we are, symbols are subjective, and we the people, are flawed.

While I admittedly don’t speak for everyone, to me, your subjectivity makes you beautiful. It means you aren’t limited to one definition of truth. You are as multifaceted as we are. You evolve as we evolve and therefore you stand as a reflection, not just of our ideals, but of our actions.

Lately, the reflection of our actions betrays our ideals. While battling a new virus and choosing a new leader, our fear became a contagion infecting your stability. Our refusal to listen or apologize resulted in ghastly ramifications that no apology will ever fix. The best we can hope for is taking the required steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again in the future.

…all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

~ Declaration of Independence

Our innovation is thriving, but it’s overthrowing our adaptation and compassion which creates disruption and imbalance.

We’ve already taken a big step toward evening the scale, but it means shifting things around to make room for Compassion. You see, combining compassion and innovation will ultimately bring about our adaptation. Once again restoring balance.

We need to tap into our empathy and remember that diversity is our strength, not our enemy. Changing is the only path to healing. But it means letting go of outdated systems in favor of trying something new.

It takes time, and multiple tries, to achieve the success of any great thing. Nothing happens overnight and while 300 years may feel as though you’re all grown up, remember, England is three times older than you. No to mention the 3,000 years since China’s birth.

During this moment of uncertainty, I will share with you a secret. It’s helped me when I’ve found myself unsure of which direction to head. When in doubt remember your values and, even though you’re fatigued, you are supported. You were born to do something that’s never been done and it means mistakes are bound to happen along the way.

When a new idea is set into motion, it’s only natural to push it to its limits. Humans are made to find boundaries, and we found some big ones recently. We were warned, it’s true, about the possible ramifications of our system. We saw the potential for corporate greed and power plays in government, but we trusted in our humanity. We trust in it still.

Once we restore compassion through empathy, we can use our adaptation to learn from our mistakes. Youth allows you to learn from not just your own mistakes, but those who came before you. We’ll use these lessons to rebuild.

…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

~ Declaration of Independence

I’ll leave you with these last few words. Change is scary, it’s true, but it’s also freedom. It’s new beginnings and a fresh canvas of your very own. While it’s possible the worst is yet to come, it’s also possible the best is yet to come. I choose to have faith in humanity. I choose to remember our values of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

You, America, are capable of extraordinary achievements. Your very existence inspires. Your flame of independence is a light in the darkness and a reminder to dream. There’s nothing that can stop us when we come together, our diversity is our strength. I trust in your ability to get past these growing pains and become the country we need.

I believe in you.