Our America, Still

Framed photo by Caitlin Schultz Molina.

This was grandson Milo’s Christmas present to Sherrod and me. It is a framed photo of him sitting by the window in Sherrod’s office in the Capitol last month, on the morning before Grandpa’s farewell speech on the Senate floor. In the distance, you can see the Washington Monument.

Milo and six of his cousins had just heard Grandpa tell the story of how this window was shattered by the mob on January 6, 2021. Normally out of reach from the ground, the window was accessible because of the scaffolding in place for the upcoming inauguration.

Our daughter Cait, Milo’s mom, captured this shot after everyone else had stepped away. So like her to hang back and notice. She, too, was that child.

It was a lot for a 9-year-old boy to take in. The violence of that day felt suddenly much closer to the grandfather he loves. So many questions from him, and his cousins Jackie and Carolyn, too. Once again, I was reminded of the words of our beloved friend, John Glenn, former astronaut and senator: A child who asks a serious question deserves a serious answer.

For Christmas, Milo wrote a note to us sharing some of his thoughts about his visit that day. It is taped to the back of the frame and is a poignant reminder of the deep interior life of a child. I read it and hear the gentle reprimand: “Talk less, Grandma. Listen more.”

As is true for thousands of others, what happened on January 6 is part of our family’s history. We have our stories. Sherrod told our grandchildren how Capitol Police kept him and his colleagues safe that day, and how they were heroes. He described watching another group of heroes—the workers who began cleaning up the trash and debris within hours of the attack. He emphasized that, despite the attempted insurrection, Joe Biden was soon sworn in as our newly elected president of the United States.

“Our democracy survived that day,” he told the children as they stared out the window. “And we are never giving up on it.”