As I watched the swearing-in of POTUS 46, I wept like a baby – just like I did when the networks called the US election for Joe Biden back in November.
They were tears of exhaustion and relief that, finally, 45 no longer has the power to wreak damage on the world.
After an anxious wait during which American democracy was shaken to its core, Trump finally departed the White House (I had to watch CNN to make sure he really did leave the building). As the clock ticked on his presidency, I was still nervous in case he tried to do something terrible on the way out.
And, as I watched the inauguration, I thought of my mum, who loathed Trump, and imagined what she would have said: “Horrible man. Good riddance.”
I find it hard to pinpoint exactly why what’s happening in America has affected me so much. After all, I don’t live there so why should I take it all so personally?
Because everything Trump is and stands for is so antithetical to my values and what’s important to me. I still find it hard to comprehend why so many people voted for a man who embodies some of the worst in human nature, a selfish man who made everything about himself and his fragile ego.
Thank God we now have a man in the White House who believes in “we, we, we” rather than “me, me, me”.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard a politician use the words “heart” and “soul” so many times in a speech before – not even Obama. He spoke of opening our souls instead of hardening our hearts. He talked about how his whole soul is in uniting a nation.
There were many stand-out moments in his talk, but this one touched me the most: “To all of those who did not support us, let me say this. Hear me out as we move forward. Take a measure of me and my heart.”
A man after my own heart, he spoke about the importance of story – specifically the American story, and writing its next great chapter.
“And together we shall write an American story of hope, not fear. Of unity, not division. Of light, not darkness. A story of decency and dignity, love and healing, greatness and goodness.
“May this be the story that guides us, the story that inspires us, and the story that tells ages yet to come that we answered the call of history, we met the moment.”
And he addressed head-on the destruction caused by misinformation and alternative realities: “There is truth and there are lies, lies told for power and for profit.” He equated the attack on democracy with an attack on truth. I hope with all my heart that he can start to reverse truth decay.
As a man whose soul has been carved by tragedy, he urged Americans to be willing to stand in the other person’s shoes – the essence of empathy.
What soothing balm it was to hear the words of a decent man. I’d almost forgotten what it was like to be inspired by a politician.
I’ll say it again: words matter. Thank God for an emotionally attuned and intelligent leader who understands the power of positive language rather than positive thinking.
I’ll leave you with this poem by Susan Frybort, posted on Facebook yesterday after the inauguration. It sums up the man who is now leading the free world. And breathe…
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