Amanda Gorman, who was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, recited her poem The Hill We Climb. A few lines in, she juxtaposed “just is” with “justice,” and I was all hers. So young, so beautiful, so poised, she gave me hope for the future.
Joe Biden said all the right words. My favorite line: “We will lead not merely by the example of our power but by the power of our example.” Something Donald Trump never understood about the presidency was that a significant part of his job was simply to set a good example, not only for us, but for the world. Joe Biden gets it, and if all he ever does during his term in office is to set a good example, he’ll be a thousand times better as president than Donald Trump was. Sanity, decency, intelligence, and understanding are back in the White House, and my heart feels lighter.
The violence that we feared did not materialize. It’s still out there, simmering, lurking, waiting, I know. But at least it didn’t ruin this day.
I will never again take inaugurations for granted.