smiles of hope

Sophie and I are not political creatures. I cannot intelligently debate political ideas nor do I have a good understanding of current events, economics or the complexities of war. But I do consider myself an observer of human nature...a scholar of the human spirit. And something happened today that seemed to move the spirit of a nation. And I think that has to be a good thing.



I cannot tell you a single detail about Obama’s platform. I do not even reside in the United States. But his inauguration today sent out a wave of positive energy that washed not over a country, not over a continent…but over a world. And here’s the thing…I know the new President cannot turn the economy around on a dime or end the strife overseas with a quick phone call. But what he has done is bring hope to a world that has seen too much fear of late. It may be just a small seed of hope, but it’s planted all the same. And many people…people without jobs, without homes, with loved ones on a battlefield across an ocean…smiled today. Felt joy today. And in these times that’s something to grab onto. That’s something that can pull you through.



The media has been filled with news of tragedy, of fear, of disappointment. And we have faced some difficult times. But last week a plane crashed and no one died. And this week one man made history and the world celebrated. Maybe we have reached a turning point. Maybe we need to believe that we have reached a turning point. Jon Katz pointed out that both Lincoln and Churchill wrote it doesn’t matter what is literally happening, it matters what people believe is happening. And today, people believed something good was happening. One man may not be able to change a country, but he can inspire a nation…a nation that could change the world.



Today, Sophie and I felt hope. And we smiled.