John McCain

I usually write a response to a prompt on Sundays, but something happened that I feel more deeply about.

If you’ve followed my blog for long, you’ll know that one of my political heroes is John McCain.  On Friday, news came out that he was no longer accepting medical treatment, and about an hour before I set to writing this news had announced his death.

On both occasions that I read the news, my heart sank.  I’ve never felt so deeply about a political or celebrity death.  I didn’t agree with McCain on every point – something that I think he’d be ok with – but I found his character and willingness to stand for what he thought was right to be impressive.  He was a hero to me, just as I believe he was a hero to all of America.  I had hoped McCain would live longer, and I sent a prayer or two up for him.

Now that he’s no longer blazing his trail here on Earth, a little piece of me has to change and move on.  His influence molded our history, and the legacy he left will continue to have bearing on our future.

In October of last year, McCain gave a speech when he accepted the liberty medal.  This speech, in my little opinion, was one of my favorites.  I’ll leave you with words I think define how McCain looked at America, the quote that helps me put on rose colored glasses and secure myself in hope that everything will turn out fine if we seek to do what is right.

“We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil. We are the custodians of those ideals at home, and their champion abroad. We have done great good in the world. That leadership has had its costs, but we have become incomparably powerful and wealthy as we did. We have a moral obligation to continue in our just cause, and we would bring more than shame on ourselves if we don’t. We will not thrive in a world where our leadership and ideals are absent. We wouldn’t deserve to.”