How much can change in two weeks. Today I was filled with hope and joy upon watching the inauguration of the 46th president of our United States. It was a day filled with efforts to draw together, rather than divide, to look ahead, rather than dwell on the past. No words epitomized this more than the poem written and performed by the glorious Amanda Gorman. Her words made me remember that we must persevere so “love becomes our legacy” and we “change our children’s birthright.” She has used her art–her words–to paint this picture, and to draw us into that shared vision.
I don’t, for a minute, claim to have the monumental and brilliant ability to inspire that she does. But what I came away remembering, after hearing her, is that my words and actions do have impact, whether for the good, or ill, even in the smallest of corners. Thank you, Amanda Gorman, for reminding me of that, and for reminding me that there is too much unfinished business in the world for any of us to sit back and let a few someone elses figure out how to do it for the rest of us. 