This week has delivered what many could only be described as a double dose of patriotic goodness.

In a moment that sparked pride across timelines and group chats, our national flag was featured in highlighting the Americas during the Super Bowl halftime performance on Sunday night by Grammy-award Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny.

Also, the reigning Junior Calypso Monarch 10-year-old Coryn Clarke, proudly representing St. Kitts and Nevis, captured international attention by winning Machel Montano’s “Gih Dem Performance” social media challenge-earning the grand prize of a live performance opportunity being featured on ‘Madness Monday’ in her birth country of Trinidad and Tobago during the carnival festivities. 

There is no denying it – we love to see it.

We love to share the posts and see the reposts. We love the celebratory captions filled with flag emojis and affirmations of national pride. We love the collective ‘That’s we country’ echoing across social media platforms. And truthfully, it is a good look.

Moments like these remind us that even as a small twin-island Federation, our talent and our symbols can command global attention. For those at home, it reinforces that greatness can emerge from our soil. For those in the diaspora, it rekindles connection and belonging. These instances of international visibility serve as emotional unifiers – brief but powerful reminders that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

But here is the deeper question: What happens after the applause fades?

Patriotism cannot exist only in moments of spectacle. It cannot be seasonal. It cannot be activated solely by viral posts or international validation. True patriotism is not performance-based -it is practice-based.

It is easy to wave a flag when the spotlight is on us. It is far more difficult to embody national pride in the quiet, everyday decisions that shape our country’s future. Patriotism is not just about celebrating when one of our own wins abroad; it is about ensuring that the environment at home nurtures many more winners.

Do we support our young creatives consistently-not just when they trend?

Do we invest enough in local platforms that cultivate talent?

Do we challenge mediocrity and push for excellence across sectors -from education to governance to entrepreneurship?

If we truly feel the swell of pride when Coryn Clarke shines on an international stage, then we must also ask ourselves whether we are building systems that make such success sustainable rather than exceptional.

This reflection is particularly timely as we observe Black History Month. February is more than symbolic recognition; it is a reminder of the resilience, innovation and sacrifice of our fore parents. The strides we celebrate today were built on foundations laid by those who dared to believe in a future they might never see.

Our ancestors did not practice convenient patriotism. Their commitment to community upliftment was costly. It required courage, discipline and a long-term vision of collective advancement.

So as we cheer the regional and international wins, we must also recommit to nation-building at home.

Patriotism must show up in how we treat each other.

It must show up in how we mentor the next generation.

It must show up in how we protect our institutions and demand accountability.

It must show up in how we support local businesses, artists, and innovators – even before the world notices them.

A flag on the Super Bowl stage is a powerful image. A young Kittitian-Nevisian talent earning recognition from one of the Caribbean’s biggest entertainers is an inspiring achievement. These moments matter. They uplift us. They remind us of what is possible.

But the real test of patriotism is not how loudly we celebrate success. It is how deliberately we cultivate it.

And if we can carry that spirit forward – beyond the spotlight, beyond the spectacle -then the next time our flag appears on a global stage, it will not simply be a moment of excitement.

It will be the natural outcome of a people who never stopped repping their country – in thought, in action and in purpose.