GREENSBORO, N.C. — The United States fought hard to break free of England. It was a long, bloody war that changed the world. Considering that, I was left wondering why I had such strong feelings when the Queen passed.
She ruled a country an ocean away that I have never visited. Nonetheless, it was a tough day for me and many others in America.
Sure we're taught through fairy tales that kings and queens are cool, but it's deeper than that.
The United Kingdom, they've lost a leader. For everyone else, we've lost another piece of stability in this crazy world.
The Queen stayed in the headlines for more than 70 years. She was always a punch line on late-night talk shows, a popular Halloween costume, or a mention in the latest books and movies. Even if you're not a fan of the royal family, the queen was one of those cornerstones of the world that you could count on. Since 2020, there are not many of those left.
At this point, the queen might tell us to keep calm and carry on. Meaning instead of relying on stability from a symbol across the world, we should look inward, and focus on what makes us feel stable at home: whether that's your best friends, a spouse, a job you love, or even the ritual of drinking coffee every morning.
The world will keep changing. We can't stop that. But we can control our feelings about it.