And  a small pink,  hand knitted, hat

was on the cover of time magazine.

We are called to mother a nation,

By actively loving

In the places we find ourselves.

Or as Cortney E. Martin wrote,

“Just as our mothers have, from time immemorial,

Loved without condition, we must now love this nation like mothers

We  must parent it into a new maturity

We must not give up on it, no matter what.

We must be prepared to be surprised at how beautiful it will be.

We must do all this without knowing what form it will take

But knowing that whatever it becomes will be rewarding

If it is shaped by fierce, unending, active love.