America is your puppy. You play catch and go for long walks to provide it with the attention it needs. After, it begs to eat and scratches your legs until it’s fed. At the end of the day, you are exhausted by the constant care it takes to please the dog. The next morning, you wake up and the couch cushions are ripped up. The expensive furniture is ruined because of the puppy. But none of the hardships stop you from loving the puppy because he is yours and you are his.

America is your dog. It’s still wild and will bark and snarl at people who threaten your home. The dog chases neighbors who walk in the field behind your house because that land is only for your dog. When you call him to come back, he sits there as if you never said a word.  When the dog sits there panting with the look of a wild wolf in his eyes, you smile and rub his head because he is yours and you are his.

America is your old dog. At your side no matter where you are in the house, he is slower and calmer than he used to be and can’t go on those long walks from when he was a puppy. The dog limps around the house and sometimes a tear will drop from your eye because his time is coming to an end. You will love him till the end because he is yours and you are his.

Patriotism is loving your country through the good and the bad. I love my dog for the same reasons. She chases my neighbors and barks, but I love her all the same. My dog has her issues but she is loyal and loving which is what matters. People have problems with the country and the president, but I stick with America because it’s my country. I’m patriotic for my country because it inspires me to do great things and will be there for me even if it doesn’t seem like it.