22 years ago, Martin Bashir, a BBC journalist, interviewed Princess Diana for a televised program that aired without the consent of the Palace after her divorce from Prince Charles. In it, she told Bashir, “I don’t go by the rulebook. I lead from the heart, not the head,” and in doing so, identified just what set her apart from so many of the world’s leaders.

Aug. 31 marked the 20th anniversary of her death and for such a momentous occasion, the world’s media turned their eyes on England once again to shower love, respect, and awe upon their late princess. Her reign was one not to be forgotten, and in remembering her, we are all reminded of how significant our figureheads, leaders, and world visionaries are to our societies.

Their values represent our values and their vision for the future becomes our own, so I think it’s important for us to realize just how meaningful these roles are in our world.

The media has this way of getting politics around and I find it so interesting how connected we all get to be. We are obsessed with forming our own opinion of politics, debating with each other about the actions of people we probably won’t ever know, and slowly we internalize their actions until it becomes a part of our own personal history. We are not a part of them, those world leaders; ironically, they are a part of us. Queen Elizabeth, Prime Minister Trudeau, President Trump, so on and so on are a culmination of their culture, a representative of their nation’s values. What they say, what they do, how they act, those are important because it relates to us.

Our presidents are our greatest merit. It’s clearly evident from recent events that each presidency shapes our nation in a certain, completely personal way, according to how, funnily enough, we shaped them. Culture and mannerisms fold to accommodate the beliefs and values of one person or one family: the First Family. During the Obama presidency, the U.S. moved with a flow leaning towards overcoming, towards joining forces to reach literacy, and heading for a diversified future of opportunity. Today the U.S. is filled with the Trump family’s stamp of approval, regardless of whether we see that as negative or positive.

You watch the news and they are there, you watch a YouTube video and it’s not unlikely that you’ll find them there, too. The point is: no matter what anyone wants to say, you have to own and accept and empower that you might have a different opinion from whoever leads you, but they are a symbol of your people, of your nation, and of some shared viewpoint.

You are the heart of a nation and they lead from you.