Triumph
by Libby Kline
Victory.
The feeling of winning, even in times of great despair.
Pulling through, even when you think it not to be possible.
Defying all odds, even though you have lost hope.
Spirit.
Getting excited about the competition.
Not knowing the results, but your heart is racing.
Who will win?
Resilience.
The spirit that brought the Philadelphia we know and live to be.
Where would we be without it?
We would be lost, without anything to grab onto.
We won the Revolutionary War, yet we are still struggling through everyday battles.
“Unity is key,” they said.
“Everything will go back to normal”
But they were wrong.
They were so wrong.
We have pulled together as a city many times, and we think that is all we have.
We have more than that.
We have love, compassion, and desire.
As human beings we have the desire to be one with one another.
A desire to be unified.
We embody that spirit.
Even when we don’t know it.
There are so many amazing people from this city, and you are one of them.
We are all part of that union.
Even those who have stumbled down the wrong path.
The question is, which path will you take?
Will you fight the fight for independence?
Will you stand back and watch?
Will you die trying?
You decide.
Many cities are followers.
Not this city.
We will rise up, stronger than ever.
We are Philadelphia.
I was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was raised in Germantown. While I was living in Germantown, I was surrounded by diversity, which I loved. I enjoy doing ballet and competing in track and field. I have a younger sister and a younger brother, and I love reading.