America, My Teacher

America, you’ve taught me so much.  

You’ve taught me restraint. I’ve learned how to hold my breath as I wait behind a closed door in a dark classroom, because someone might be outside with a gun. You’ve shown me that’s just as likely to happen as a tornado in Texas. 

You’ve taught me resilience. I’ve learned to survive in the face of a health care system that won’t give me what I need. That my own well-being isn’t worth the debt I’ll owe to stay alive. 

You’ve taught me work ethic. I’ve learned that my value as a person is based on how small the number of sick days I’ve used is, how short my lunch break is, and how many days I work overtime for no extra pay. You’ve shown me I’ll be praised in no tangible way for never using a vacation day.

You’ve taught me about self-worth. I’ve learned that my value is counted in designer bags and flashy shoes. You’ve shown me that what I’m worth is directly correlated to the number of dollars you think I’ve spent on my clothes, furniture, and house.

You’ve taught me about nutrition. I’ve learned that the faster the food is ready, the better. You’ve shown me that it doesn’t matter how many ingredients are listed on the box, that frozen food is just as good as real food, and that plates should be wider than I am.

You’ve taught me about time. I’ve learned that convenience is king. You’ve shown me that I don’t need to lift a finger because food, clothes, furniture, and happiness can be curbside. 

You’ve taught me about excellence. I’ve learned that we are the best country. You’ve shown me how, despite having the highest rate of incarceration, divorce, illegal drug use, rape, murder, obesity, crimes per year, children’s death by firearms, and student loan debt, we are still superior.

America, I’ve learned so much. Are you proud of me?