Today, we as country held the Inauguration of the 45th President. This event is very special honor we as a nation get to experience together regardless of party affiliation. It is the peaceful passage of power. It's a time that we are one group of people, citizens of these United States. It is our opportunity to demonstrate to the world that while we may not always agree on the person elected, which I'm struggling with now, we do agree on the democratic process in the peaceful passage of power. We should not take for granted the freedom of democracy. It is an unbelievable opportunity to express and voice our thoughts through an open and fair process.
As a kid growing up in the 70's & 80's, I believed there was no higher honor than to be President of the United States. I was taught that it was a position that anyone could, and should, strive to hold. It was trailed only by the dreams of being an astronaut or the next Evel Knievel. However, even though I'm slightly more realistic today than in years past, I do still believe it is the most honorable position of service we as Americans can hold and one that must be approached with humility.
I haven't always agreed with the choice America made for President, and feel that way currently, however, I have always respected the office itself. This is the most important point. The Office of President is not one person. Rather, it's an amalgam representative of the people. That is what I hope our new President, as well as all future Presidents, will come to understand. This is a position of humility without ego and it shouldn't matter if they have an "R" or "D" after their name. Instead the President should be a ubiquitous representative of, and for, the people of America. This can be accomplished by embracing this extremely high honor and operating with the upmost humility, integrity, and respect for what the Office of the President truly represents....the People!