The world keeps showing up

At a U.S. Global Leadership Coalition event, Senator James Lankford shared a metaphor that stayed with me: the U.S. as the big brother in the global family. But lately, our allies, our younger siblings, don’t recognize us anymore.

That metaphor landed because it speaks to something I’ve felt myself: a shift in how others see us, and how we see ourselves.

Our future is more global than many of us want to admit. Even in places like Oklahoma that tend to look inward, the world keeps showing up through trade, people, and changes we can’t ignore.

We’re fighting over who we are. That kind of identity crisis, the pull between retreat and engagement, is playing out everywhere. And it’s having real consequences.

While we argue and hesitate, the world keeps moving. Allies adapt. Competitors step into the void. We don’t need perfect consensus, but we do need more people willing to lead with clarity, humility, and follow-through.