The most important part of the inauguration....
I've neglected this blog terribly, but I've resolved that this morning I will put up a post that's been on my mind for a while.
I watched the inauguration when it was on, and while several weeks have now gone by, I am still ruminating on one of the most interesting phrases that was spoken. It was during the Rick Warren prayer, as he thanked God for yet another peaceful transference of power. That phrase struck me as it never had before....
Peaceful transference of power.
As I watched Obama and Bush share the platform, it struck as beautiful and profound that not one person watching was wondering if the transfer of power would take place. For all the tension of the election, everyone knew how this would end. Noon came and went, and Obama took office with his predecessor looking on.
This is one of the most beautiful unifying moments in American politics, the moment when those two men walk out together. When George looks on and smiles as another takes his place. I'm no George Bush fan, but I was sad that people chose to boo at that moment. It doesn't matter who agrees with who now, he's just going to hand it all over.
I think this beautiful moment struck me so much this year because I had a pretty lousy winter. Three of my older relatives died in as many months, including my grandmother. I had just spoken at my first funeral 3 days earlier, and I had requested the day off because of it. I was really pretty sad as I flipped on the TV, and I wasn't even sure I was going to watch the inauguration. It didn't strike me until Warren's prayer exactly how luxurious that was. Why could I have afforded not to watch this event? Because I knew how it would end. Because we always know how it will end. Because we are just that lucky.
This is truly a beautiful country.
I watched the inauguration when it was on, and while several weeks have now gone by, I am still ruminating on one of the most interesting phrases that was spoken. It was during the Rick Warren prayer, as he thanked God for yet another peaceful transference of power. That phrase struck me as it never had before....
Peaceful transference of power.
As I watched Obama and Bush share the platform, it struck as beautiful and profound that not one person watching was wondering if the transfer of power would take place. For all the tension of the election, everyone knew how this would end. Noon came and went, and Obama took office with his predecessor looking on.
This is one of the most beautiful unifying moments in American politics, the moment when those two men walk out together. When George looks on and smiles as another takes his place. I'm no George Bush fan, but I was sad that people chose to boo at that moment. It doesn't matter who agrees with who now, he's just going to hand it all over.
I think this beautiful moment struck me so much this year because I had a pretty lousy winter. Three of my older relatives died in as many months, including my grandmother. I had just spoken at my first funeral 3 days earlier, and I had requested the day off because of it. I was really pretty sad as I flipped on the TV, and I wasn't even sure I was going to watch the inauguration. It didn't strike me until Warren's prayer exactly how luxurious that was. Why could I have afforded not to watch this event? Because I knew how it would end. Because we always know how it will end. Because we are just that lucky.
This is truly a beautiful country.
posted by bs king at 6:27 AM
1 Comments:
Agreed. One of the saddest moments that I can remember was the stories of the crassness with which some of Clinton's staff left office - doing hundreds of thousands dollars of damage, pasting pornography onto the walls. The beautiful thing about our system of government is that we elect people who rule as best they can for four to eight years, and then graciously move aside to let in a new regime, regardless of how you agree with their political principles.
Ultimately, the two leaders agree on the big thing - that the system itself is more important than the individual.
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