2021 Life Logs, Day 20: A New Day in America
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2021
Weather: A Little Snow, A Little Sunshine; High 38, Low 20 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Even if the joy only lasts one day, the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ushered in a much needed new day in America. I saw someone post on Facebook that the transfer of power felt like having a 243 pound gorilla lifted off our shoulders. I couldn’t agree more. From early morning to late evening, it was a an uplifting, joyous, hopeful day in our nation’s capital and around the nation. I heard my favorite politician, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, say tonight that today was a 10 out of 10 win-win for her. I feel the same way . . . a new President that is empathetic and kind and willing to dedicate his soul to the healing of our broken country . . . a new Vice President that is the first woman, first African American, and first South Asian to hold that office . . . a powerful 22 year-old national poet laureate whose words stole the day . . . everyone attending the inauguration wearing masks . . . three previous Presidents attending the inauguration and giving the new administration their full support . . . Lady Gaga singing the national anthem and bringing me to tears (I never, ever thought that Lady Gaga could make me cry!) . . . J. Lo singing a medley of songs and then addressing the nation in Spanish with the last lines of the Pledge of Allegiance, “Una nación, bajo Dios, indivisible, con libertad y justicia para todos” (One nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all) . . . the new Vice-President swearing in three new Democratic Senators . . . the President signing fifteen executive orders, one of which is rejoining the Paris Climate Accords (drumroll) . . . the first press conference of the Biden administration with Press Secretary Jen Psaki pledging to bring “truth back to the American government” . . . an evening ‘virtual’ Celebrating America concert with everyone from Jon Bon Jovi to Yo Yo Ma that ended with a fabulous fireworks display. And this happened while most of us were holding our breath anticipating a possible act of violence. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. It was quite a day and I don’t remember ever feeling this proud to be an American.
