A Courage for the Race Ahead

As I crouch to start the 400-meter dash at the varsity track meet, the screams of the crowd die away, and I am face to face with one lane on the track. For a moment, there is silence, and I think about my brothers and father, three brave naval servicemen who have fought for our country and for me. The gun fires and my legs explode off the blocks, rounding the curve in speed. Again, I think of my military family who has fought in blood, sweat, and tears, never once giving up or letting go of their commitment to their country. Rounding the last corner of the track, I am tempted to slow down, but I instead keep fighting with the inspiration of the courageous sacrifices I have taken part in and seen throughout my life.

When I was nine months old, my dad was deployed to Afghanistan. My oldest brother was only six years old; my mom was left to take care of all four kids for the longest six months of her life. When my dad was separated from his young family by half the planet, he didn’t know if the next six months would turn into a year, or if conditions would let him return safely home. But he did know that he was right where he was supposed to be, serving his country valiantly, and all he had to do was step forward in courage with each task ahead of him. This courage has inspired me in so many ways—the sheer sacrifice he made speaks miles of his devotion to America and to his family.

My oldest two brothers are both in the Navy—one in flight school and one at the United States Naval Academy—and I have looked up to them for as long as I can remember. While I’m running or doing homework or practicing music, they are training for combat. I have never known anyone so ready to serve others as my brothers. They serve in humble devotion to their country, leading those around them in wisdom as well as strength. In the most challenging times of life, I often reflect on the inspiring race they run. Their service has taught me to persevere, to serve others first, and to have courage.

As a military child, I have always most feared losing my loved ones on the front lines. But all it takes is remembering just whom I am afraid to lose—the bravest people I know and love, who are willing to fight for my sake and for the sake of my country. There is always something to be afraid of—whether it’s a fear of losing a loved one, of being alone, of failure—but I have learned from my military family to take the hardships and the unknowns in stride, standing all the firmer, running all the faster, and persevering all the longer.

So, as I finish my race with strength barely left to keep my legs moving, my courage grows all the keener, my spirit more valiant, my will more determined to finish. I will not give up because I know what true courage is, and I have seen it firsthand in those I love the most. And as I cross that finish line, I know that my dad and brothers are proud, even if they’re training for battle miles and miles away.