I feel a sense of pride for my country.
We have been living under some of the most dire circumstances in recent history, with people’s lives and their livelihoods at risk. The ongoing coronavirus crisis has not been easy for anyone (and far more difficult for some than others), and yet many people have adapted to these challenging circumstances with grace, dignity, and compassion.
When you read the news, there is no question that there has been terrible tragedy. Everyone who lost their lives was important to someone: They were someone’s child, someone’s parent, someone’s friend, someone’s neighbor. Many others who weren’t infected have lost their jobs or had their way of day-to-day life rattled to their core.
While Americans have endured much, we have also triumphed in many ways.
Medical workers, from doctors to nurses to every other type of medical staff, have worked with aplomb. If courage truly is “grace under pressure,” then those on the front lines against the virus have shown immense courage. I speak for everyone at U.S. Money Reserve when I say we have tremendous respect and gratitude for every one of them.
Outside the medical community, there have been stories of warmth and compassion. Americans have donated food, medical supplies, and money to causes of all stripes. Some have even used their resources to create masks and other needed items to help those in need. We have found new and innovative ways to stay in touch with each other. These stories have been happening across the nation, from coast to coast, in my native Nebraska and my current home of Texas and every other state.
Looking at the history of this nation, we can see stories upon stories of people overcoming difficult odds. It’s in the DNA of the American spirit. From forging a new democracy after the Revolutionary War to expanding westward and going to the moon, we have again and again proved that we can achieve the impossible.
The future still holds challenges.
The unfortunate truth is that it will be hard for many to pick right up where they left off. Many small mom-and-pop businesses have had to close. Many lives have been lost. Many others have had their way of living forever altered. There still is not a vaccine for COVID-19.
However, if any nation can handle the challenges that lie ahead—if any country has shown an ability to overcome challenges—it is the Unites States of America.
Stay strong, stay smart, and stay compassionate. We can handle this.
