Americans love a good underdog story. After all, our forefathers threw off the yoke of imperialism and never looked back. Sports fans love the upsets; Buster Douglas defeating a mythical Mike Tyson, a bunch of college kids stealing Olympic gold from the grasping hands of the Russian hockey team, Vince Papale making it from bartender to NFL walk on. We all cheer for the kid next door as he takes a victory lap. It's part of our culture. We get knocked down but we come up swinging with blood and sweat dripping into our eyes. I recently watched a documentary, “America in Color” (thanks for the recommendation, Mom). Each episode details a decade of American history. Starting with the decadent '20s and running through the unruly '60s, the narrator takes us on a journey of glorious victories and gut-wrenching defeats. Each time the country staggers forward into prosperity and peace, something happens to knock it back onto the ropes. I'm not a boxing fan, by the way, but the analogy is just too appropriate to ignore. Yes, our relatively young country has made blundering mistakes and we've had our share of black eyes but we learn, we shake it off and we keep moving forward. We are the brash, pugnacious, unrelenting contender. These days our battlefield is eerily quiet and our armor consists of a cotton mask and hand sanitizer. We see our comrades at a distance and our enemy is invisible. Empty streets and playgrounds look like movie sets. The greatest obstacles we face are fear and loneliness. We're all underdogs. This is where the American spirit shines. We thrive on adversity. We reel blindly for a moment but then our intestinal fortitude kicks in and we're ready for a brawl. How do we fight fear, loneliness, and depression? When I look around, I see tiny pinpricks of light emerging. I see teachers working harder than ever, finding creative ways to connect with their students. Churches and restaurants are feeding the homeless. Neighbors are doing drive-by birthday parties. Seniors are making light of the fact that they'll have no formal graduation. Parents are spending time with their kids, really getting to know them. Couples are having stay-at-home dates, getting take-out dinners, and leaving generous tips. Strangers smile tentatively and make space on the sidewalk. We are putting aside petty differences, creating new strategies to provide relief and encouragement. Making the best of a bad situation is the order of the day and we are killing it! This is the America I love. America, I'm proud of you.
We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
Love this!!!