Change. A seismic change.
Earth-shattering. Planet-cracking. Soul-stirring. Head-opening.
One event (a Presidential Inauguration), changes everything. Maybe it's sort of like emptying an aquarium that is filled with dark, muddy, toxic water, and replacing it with clear, fresh, totally-renewed and transparent water. All accomplished without killing the life in the aquarium. A Houdini-like act of transformation. Magic.
Okay, not really magic, just the normal process & result of a democratic election. In this case, I think we can rephrase that Who song: Meet the New Boss, Nothing Like the Old Boss.
I think of the Biden/Harris combo as an antidote, a cure, a vaccine, a tonic, a booster shot, an energy drink, a truth-telling potion. Words that came to my mind while I was listening to Joe Biden's speech: authentic, truthful, common-sensical, inspiring, artful, compassionate, soulful, real, American.
What was it like in my orbit, amongst my little Progressive Blue Bubble folks? Euphoric. Grateful. Enthusiastic. Excited. Hopeful. Relieved. So damn happy.
I did a little Irish jig in the kitchen. We had a pizza party. We laughed, we cried. We loved every minute of the inauguration. Joe & Kamala, the young poet, Amanda Gordon, the oaths, the speeches, the pomp and circumstance. The singing of the National Anthem (Lady Gaga), the singing of This Land is Your Land/America the Beautiful (J-Lo), and the singing of Amazing Grace (Garth Brooks). It was a pop culture success too. So real-world American.
Certainly yesterday represented the best of us. It was a triumph for our democracy, and for USA. A new day. New dawn. America Renewed.
Suddenly there is: Hope. Love. Compassion. Empathy. Common Sense.
What a beautiful, necessary, healing change...