Joy to the World

Joy. 

Overwhelming joy.

Joy is what I saw and what I felt as I watched president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris and their families on stage in Delaware after their speeches to America Saturday night. 

My first thought was how wonderful it is to see leaders who smile...who laugh...who dance...who show emotions other than anger. There was no dancing on stage, but there was plenty of dancing in the streets nearby. And I have seen video clips of Harris busting moves. Despite the fact the families on stage wore masks, I could see joy and smiles and laughter in their eyes. Now think about it: when is the last time you saw any of the current first family smile, or laugh? Never? That sounds about right. That family is singularly devoid of joy, or at least as far as we can see. It seems their joy comes only from accumulating more wealth, insulting people, and slaughtering wild animals for fun.

CNN reporter Dana Bash noted that following the Democrats’ victory, "a pressure valve has been released in the cities." She acknowledged that some 70 million people who voted for the incumbent, many of them in rural areas and smaller towns, don't feel this way. Certainly they were not feeling joyful. But joy definitely was the word of the day for the 75 million Americans who have waited 4 years for this day. Biden made a point of promising to try to heal this country, to listen to those who did not vote for him, to work to bring the country closer together.

Joy is something we -- at least I -- have not seen or felt in this country for the past four years. The Biden and Harris families exude joy. They were happy; they were smiling under their masks. We have never seen happiness and smiles from the family of the current occupant of the White House. 

Leaders as well as average citizens of other countries -- the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada and Australia among them --  have celebrated the return of the United States to the world community. Biden said he will sign an executive order on his first day in office, returning the US to the Paris Climate Accord.

Biden has said he will give supporters of the president*, and the president* himself, time to come to grips with their loss. We need to recognize the hurt and sense of loss Republican supporters of the incumbent are feeling. We need to treat them far better than they have treated shoe who have opposed the incumbent. Then we need to work together to start repairing the damage done to America, and to Americans, over the past 4 years. 

I have described the feeling of knowing a new era is beginning in America in 70 days in two ways. Although I have never been incarcerated, I imagine the feeling we are experiencing is akin to how an inmate must feel upon release from prison. And feel as if the 50 pound backpack filled with rocks that I have been carrying for the past 4 years has just been removed from my back.

The time for hard work will be here soon enough. For now, And I am more than ready for some joy