I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.  — John Adams

My Take – The payoff for all of the blood, sweat, and treasure that has been expended to defend the Republic is that our children sleep secure at night, that they have hope to do better than we do if they only work hard, and that no person can claim primacy over another before the law.  It can be hard to see above the hard work and pain, but when we exercise our rights and defend the revolution, we are giving our children the world their ancestors provided us.