And the National Animal goes to…

I just smelled my way across the United States on a motorcycle.  A motorcycle offers a full-sensory experience in ways that sedans and SUVs don’t.  It’s tremendous: freeing, scary, exhilarating, dangerous and smelly.  It’s fantastic.  

I’m riding in early fall 2020 as the US attempts to pull together a restart plan from the national shutdown due to COVID-19.  For months, we’ve watched maps change color as states have shifted from hot spots trending up to cooler shades shifting to more stable numbers.  The commentary cites local quarantine policies and mask mandates, beach weekends and fraternity parties, each with an air of judgement.  Sprinkle in a dose of economic downturn with a healthy dose of politics and the country feels divisive. 

But we, as a country, are more alike than different.  I really believe that.  Somewhere between pit stops I began to wonder what it was that we, as a nation had in common.  Stringing together geographies and topographies outside of our boundaries provided plenty to wonder.  

So here it is, the official F&V 2020 National Superlatives.  

National Animal: Cow 

Regional variations: dairy cows, dinner cows, decorative cows with big horns

National dish: Hamburger

      Regional variation: it’s all just decoration

National vehicle: Truck

        Regional variation is based on what’s in the trailer: a big box of stuff, campers, toys, farm implements, hay

National produce:  Tie: hay and corn — to feed cows and cars 

National sentiment: trying to recover, wanting to recover, desperate to recover from COVID-19

        Regional variation: industry specific

National view of national government: Low

        Regional variation: low

National political candidate: 'my guy.  Your guy got us in this mess'

Worst smell: tie: left nostril awards ‘road kill skunk’ while the right nostril notes ‘chicken farms’ 

Best smell: coffee

        Regional variation: how dare you.  It’s always coffee

There’s a lot of differentiation across the country; it’s what makes our country fantastic.  But difference is not the same as division.  Division is an attitude and a choice.  As has been noted, we’re all in the same storm, even if in different boats.  Everyone has a COVID story. Everyone has been impacted, but we’re all in this together.  This country, despite its seemingly arbitrary state boundaries, is powerful when unified. 

Look for the commonality. It’s there. Please.