A Sunny Inauguration Morning in the Rockies
… The most dangerous words are ‘us and them’ … Madeleine Albright, former United States Secretary of State
These were among the first words I heard this morning as I turned on the TV upon rising to take in what I hoped would be the majesty of this Inauguration Day transferring power from the 45th President to the 46th.
The majesty was without a doubt present. Yet it was muted by the absence of a large, celebratory crowd and the presence of concertina wire and National Guard troops made necessary by an almost year-long pandemic and the attempted coup at the Capitol two short weeks ago. A day to celebrate – yes.
It is also a day to go within – to reflect on what democracy truly means and our responsibility, individually and collectively, to participate in creating “… a more perfect Union …” “…with liberty and justice for all.”
How will we respond to the new President’s call to unity? How will we talk with those whose views differ from ours? How will we “open our souls instead of hardening our hearts”?
The work of the soul is a deeply personal journey, work that then reflects the thoughts we think, the words we speak and the actions we take. I believe we have a President who has done the work of the soul. President Biden committed to put his soul fully into healing the divide. What might our world look like if we all do the same?
These are the pivots. This is our souls’ work. This is our time.
Early Morning in the San Luis Valley