Like many others, in countries all over the world we watched, the inauguration of Joseph Robinette Biden as the 46th president of the United States of America. I have kept quiet about politics on here and will continue to do so. I think there are plenty of other places for those discussions. I was really impressed with the ceremony for the transfer of power. It was serious, moving and inspirational. The US does this very well. Here in the UK, there is no such ceremony at all. When a new party wins a general election they take over the morning after polling day. So with politicians, advisors and all the election officials having probably worked all night or at least for most of the night, they have to start a new administration there and then. It’s not ideal. 

As well as the ceremony itself, I loved the classy dressing and of course Bernie Saunders and his mittens, though as our American friends might say, enough already. There’s even a piece in the New York Times about reverse engineering the pattern.  I am in awe of anyone who can sing the Star Spangled Banner at all and Lady Gaga did a great job. We used to sing it at school as it’s a good song and really tests your vocal range. It was for me impossible to sing without both shrieking the top notes and growling the lower ones. We sang quite a few national anthems but that’s another post I think.

The part that really made me gasp was young Amanda Gorman who as the inauguration poet recited her poem, ‘The Hill We Climb’. So I’ll finish this short post with the final lines, that provide inspiration for all of us in these difficult times.

For there is always light,

if only we’re brave enough to see it.

if only we’re brave enough to be it.

Amanda Gorman, Biden Inauguration 20 January 2021.