Viking Reflections: Patrick R. Bradford ’19

The biggest thing I learned in my time at VASJ was not in a textbook, nor was it written on a whiteboard by a teacher, nor was it the focus of a lesson plan. This lesson transcended the confines of a normal educational setting. It’s not something quantifiable by any number or defined with any single word. As difficult as it is to synthesize the subject of this reflection, I feel it’s of the utmost importance to address it due to the tumultuous times we’re enduring.

To offer some background, in the days prior to the start of my freshman year, I felt like a fish out of water. I was a last-minute enrollment (having been officially enrolled approximately two days before the school year was to begin), coming from a completely different educational experience in the form of public schooling, and, to top it all off, I had no real connection to any of my soon-to-be classmates. I dreaded what the first day of school would bring.

However, I was pleasantly surprised as the first weeks of school came to pass. I found myself in some great company in the school’s Drama Club, in my lunch period and especially in my first period Honors World History class. Everyone around me was so welcoming and kind, which blindsided me. I must confess, my mother and I had an arrangement: If, after one semester, I didn’t like the school, we would transfer me elsewhere. However, when the time came to make my case, I had no footing to stand on. I had genuinely enjoyed my first semester at VASJ, and I was looking forward to the next seven after it. Each pep rally, basketball game, Spirit Week and class period brought new memories for me to cherish for the rest of my life.

So, what does this story about a boy feeling welcome and accepted by his new high school have to do with the current state of the world? Quite a lot actually. The lesson to be learned here lies on two sides of the same coin. On the one side, there’s much to be said about learning to adapt to new situations. I was unwilling to even consider the possibility of adapting to my new surroundings at first. Because of that, I was unwilling to allow myself to enjoy them for all the good they would bring to my life. New friends, new experiences and lifelong memories all could’ve been squandered if I hadn’t been receptive to the idea of change. Far too often now, I see people in the world refuse the same idea and it’s only ever to their detriment.

On the other side of the coin, there’s much more to be said about being open and accepting to those around us. Recently, it appears to me there’s a stigma against being compassionate. Those leading the charge against racial injustice are seen as “looters and rioters,” while those advocating for the end to the health crisis facing our nation are seen as “fools.”

The facts of the matter are present. Black lives do matter. We can’t let the actions of those just looking to stir up trouble overshadow the compassion of those peacefully asking for change. Just as we can’t let conspiracy theories based on paranoia and fear diminish the word of modern medicine, which is only aiming to save us all. For over two centuries, our nation has aspired to be the beacon of hope and liberty in the world, yet within our own borders, we’re failing each other with our lack of compassion. Acting with compassion is the only way we can be the “shining city upon a hill” that our Founding Fathers foresaw. 

Deem my words insignificant — that’s your entitlement. But recall the words of Lincoln, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” and heed this warning: As we drift further and further apart, we only come closer to destruction. We have the tools to set a better course within us; it’s only a matter of whether we’re willing to use them. For the sake of our future, I hope we are. 

Patrick R. Bradford ’19 is a sophomore at The Ohio State University, where he’s double majoring in political science and strategic communications. In addition to his studies, he’s a member of the Morrill Scholars program as well as the Politics, Society and Law Scholars.