When Maggie was but seven months old and we were living in Maryland, we decided on the spur of the moment to board a train to D.C. and watch the inaugural parade of George Bush. We loaded up the stroller and diaper bag and went with thousands of other people to the Capitol to participate in the festivities.
There was no great vantage point to see anything and Mark put me on his shoulders to catch a glimpse of the President walking by. I never did see George or Barbara but that didn’t matter so much.
It was festive. It was fun. It was democracy.
Since then I have only watched inaugurations on t.v. but I never miss them. I requested Monday off weeks ago so I could park myself on the couch and watch every minute of it.
When my brothers were in high school they had a record player and my sister and I would hang out in their room when they were playing music. My brother, Terry, bought a new 45 and played it over and over. I knew every word of that song and once snuck it over to my friend’s house for a sleepover so my friends could hear it.
It was “Fire and Rain” and I have been in love with James Taylor ever since.
Presidential elections are fire and rain and rancor and disagreement, then we vote and move on.
Thankfully, we always move on.