For me, January 20th started like any other. I woke up to my alarm, put on clothes, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth and was out the door. But somewhere in between the process of putting on clothes and going to make myself a bowl of cereal, I remembered what day it was – Inauguration day. For some people, this day couldn’t come quick enough. For others, it was a day that had been dreaded since November 8th.
I won’t go too far into my own political views but let’s just say that there is not a lot I like about Donald Trump. I don’t like his view on the LGBT community, climate change, or how he plans to run foreign and domestic relations. I don’t like how he has been known to treat women or how he carries himself when he is in the hot seat. But I will give him one thing – his honesty and energy are astounding. It led him to the White House and for that I give him credit. Watching the Inauguration for most of the day was a lot to take in, but what began as a day that I personally dreaded developed into a day that taught me much more than I had expected it to.
First, I realized that there will be losses in life, but what I consider a loss is not necessarily a loss to others because we each see progress a little bit differently. As humans, we grow and develop in all different sorts of circumstances, places, situations, and environments, so what is good for one person might not be beneficial for another. I think that this is where values and beliefs begin to change and adjust into the political parties that we have today. Now, this doesn’t have to tear us apart unless we let it. If we look at each other with an open mind and an open heart, we can learn to understand and empathize with others. You don’t necessarily have to agree with the other side, but seeing their view is extremely important and was too often neglected in the election process.
Second, Inauguration day made me realize how lucky I am to live in a country that transfers power so peacefully. To watch Outgoing President Obama congratulate and applaud President Trump with such dignity after the latter’s inauguration speech was a testament to our nation’s politics. These are two men whose political views couldn’t be farther apart and yet here they came together to transfer power peacefully according to the vote of the American people. There are many in countries across this earth who would love to see such peaceful transfers occur within their own political systems, so we shouldn’t take it for granted.
Third, I love that I can live in a country where freedom of speech is so highly regarded. The fact that you can go out on the street in record breaking numbers the day after an election to explain why you disprove of a historic day says loads about a democracy.
To wrap it all up, it’s probably no surprise by now to know that I supported Hillary whole-heartedly through the 2016 election process (I even attended a rally here in Philadelphia on the night before the election). So for me, Friday’s Inauguration was not exactly how I wanted it to go. However, I think that it is important to give any president a fair shot when they take office – including Donald Trump. After all, there is a possibility that he could become a good president, and for the sake of our country, I hope he is.