An Inauguration Reflection

We seek harm for none, but harmony for all ~         amanda gorman

As I watched the 2021 Inauguration unfold on my television, I sat with my dogs by my side, waiting to witness another day of history in the making. I did not know what to expect, but I did know that this inauguration would be different than any I had ever watched before. It wasn’t different because it was virtual or that the new president was going to be the oldest sitting president to hold the position. No, it was going to be different because just two weeks ago, the capitol had been overrun by insurgents and our democracy had been shaken.

So I pulled up my chair to the table where I had a notepad and decided to take notes. No… I have never done this before. I couldn’t tell you what Nixon through Trump had said on their day of history making, but I was sure that I would hear something different from our future President Joe Biden.

That’s when I heard the familiar Color Guard Anthem as they brought the flags out for the world to see. But low and behold there was a change in the position of flags! Could it be that the Space Force just bumped my beloved Coast Guard to sixth position? I’m sorry, but that annoyed me. Not because my husband has served his country in the  Coast Guard for over forty years, but because the Coast Guard is one of the oldest branches of service, certainly OLDER than the Space Force and Air Force, and deserves to maintain it’s rank in flag order!  But I moved on from being annoyed as I watched Lady Gaga enter the stage of the Capitol.

We all know Lady Gaga and her crazy outfits, but I was blown away by her beautiful black and red ball gown as she made her way down the steps in the arms of her Coast Guard escort. (Yep, that was a Coastie) What happened next, took me by surprise. Lady Gaga began to perform the National Anthem as only she can do. As she swept her arms out to the crowd on the words of “home of the brave,” I went back in time to the icon Kate Smith, and goosebumps rose on my skin. Brushing tears from my cheeks, I knew I had just witnessed one of the most memorable renditions of our nation’s song in its history. I immediately posted on Facebook my excitement, and soon others joined me in saying they too had been brought to tears.

Now I’m going to stop here, for a brief moment, to say that it doesn’t matter what party affiliation you have, an Inauguration is for everyone… even an Independent such as me. So of course, I pull myself together to prepare for the next major history making moment… the swearing in of our new FEMALE Vice President.

I don’t know a whole lot about Kamala Harris, but I do know that she is a woman. And for most women in this country, her swearing in, no matter your political views, is a HUGE event! I imagine, as well,  that her election to office was exciting for woman the world over. Why? Because she represents hope, hope for all women that they can achieve success at the highest of levels. And of course, it goes without saying, that she is also a woman of color which makes it even more exciting and encouraging! How proud her parents must be.

And how proud A Rod must have  been to watch his wife J Lo. I laugh as I write this because the sentence sounds silly. Perhaps I should use their real names for history sake, and for those of you not up on the latest “People Magazine” lingo of “whose who” in the celebrity world. Alex Rodriguez must have been proud of Jennifer Lopez as she sang for our nation… Although much less dramatic than Lady Gaga, Jennifer’s own rendition of  This Land is Your Land, reminded us all of elementary music class when we were young and learning about our great nation.

And then I heard these words, “My whole soul is in this to UNITE us.” The words expressed by our new president as he spoke from the heart to the people of a troubled nation resounded out across an empty capital mall. I listened, wondering what he would say that no president before him had expressed. And to my surprise, he acknowledged the issues surrounding our great nation, and stated that we have a long road ahead of us. He talked about the unrest, the racism, and the untruths spoken by so many. Joe Biden did not mince words as he spoke of hope, of hard work, and of starting fresh. He encouraged us by saying that we have always been a nation of change, so change is still possible. I so agreed with this. What surprised me was his admittance that it was okay to dissent. But Biden reminded those watching, that that we have the right to dissent peacefully. Amen to that! Because what are we, if we cannot speak our mind, we are a democracy after all. I loved how he ended his speech with,  “We will write an American story of love and healing, greatness and goodness.” I’ve always loved a happy ending, I am a writer after all, and I’d love to see our citizens shoot for his American story.

As if Biden’s speech wasn’t uplifting enough, Garth Brooks’s accapella rendition of Amazing Grace was spiritual and reflective of the troubles America has experienced recently. Encouraging the crowd to join him in the musical prayer, it was clear that only he could have carried off this follow up to Biden’s pointed message.  Always a Garth fan, I was impressed that he did not wane under the pressure of singing alone in the silence of the Capitol.

And then that little ball of fire stepped up to the microphone and began to speak. Ms. Amanda Gorman, age 22, poet laureate. Her poem conjured up images of a little girl growing up in a country made of people of color, race and creed, of strife and hope. “We are a nation not broken but not finished” she clearly states, and I believed her. She had managed to explain our country better than anyone in the last twenty years, while supporting Biden’s new idea, that we can change and write a new American story if only “we seek harm for none but harmony for all.” She gave us hope that we could change if we set our minds to it.

And so the ending of the inauguration was at hand as the minister stepped forward to say the last words of the day. He was eloquent and thoughtful. I loved that he reminded us how to gain peace through humanity, “Teach us, oh God~Love in it, heal in it, to reconcile in it.” Powerful words with a true message that we could all take and use in our daily lives. And then it was over.

The pomp and circumstance was over and the crowd dispersed. I sat watching the last little bit of people talking and mingling despite the frigid air. I was thankful that the day was what I hoped, that there was a peaceful change of power that we have come to expect over the last 150 years. With a sigh of relief, I saw what we all had hoped, peace in our nation, in our capitol and on the stage. It was a great day in history.