January 20, 2021 is quite the significant date in American history. We witnessed the peaceful transfer of power to Joseph R. Biden from his predecessor who decided not to participate in this centuries old American tradition. The peaceful nature of this transition today is juxtaposed freshly in our minds against a merely two week old terrorist attack on the United States Capitol. We witnessed the first female, the first African American and the first Indian American Vice President in Kamala Harris. We witnessed the first Jewish senator from Georgia take office. We witnessed the first Jewish Senate Majority Leader begin his term. And we witness a raw, wounded, divided population, all seeking to be heard and be seen.
The Americana Fabric may not be shredded to bits, but it certainly requires serious mending.
As I search for personal significance in these unprecedented moments of America’s democratic experiment, I realize the values that bring meaning to this collective sigh of relief. There is hope embedded in the values that our new leadership seems already to embody. We will now all unpack and begin to understand our shared PTSD of the last 4 years, despite which side of the aisle we most identify with. And as somebody who does not subscribe to magazines, tout parties, or push fundamentalist perspective, it is truly our human values that bring alignment in truth and action for me, despite party affiliation.
Here are a few that resonate with me, especially in this moment:
Peace • Love • Empathy • Integrity • Compassion • Humor • Optimism • Togetherness • Courage • Innovation • Creativity • Stewardship • Environmentalism • Respect • Unity • Responsibility • Leadership • Science Minded • Learning Agile • Of Service • Selflessness • Humility • Strength • Wisdom • Empowerment • Authenticity • Confidence • Trustworthiness • Positivity
What other values do you identify with? What values did today’s events bring to mind? What values are you hopeful to see in Washington in the coming 4 years, and beyond?
I’m eagerly learning to stitch and sew empathy and listening into the threads and fabrics. Call it a newly acquired quarantine-era skill.
