Can you hear the exhale?

The collective sigh of
relief
across our nation?

Since the unrest
at the capitol,
we've all been
holding our breath,
waiting for the
peaceful
transfer of power.

Just like that,
It happened.
Peacefully.

Air Force One delivered
President Trump to Florida.

Joe Biden was sworn in
as our 46th President.

Kamala Harris made history
becoming Vice President.

A peaceful transition of power.

The world spins on,
and the difficult,
often frustrating,
work of
democracy
continues.

This important
work is
ours.
It belongs to
all of us.

A major theme of
this week  was
​AMERICA UNITED.

Many of the
events of this week 
 highlighted
our common history,
our common challenges, 
and our common purpose
as a nation.

As President Biden said
in his inauguration speech, 

 "The American story
depends
not on any one of us,
not on some of us,
but on ALL of us.
On we the people
who seek a
more perfect union."

We have an
opportunity
to reset,
to work 
together
to continue creating
a more perfect union.

It's time to write
the next chapter
in our nation's story.

Could we call it,
America United?

Let's try...
It's up to ALL of us.
​

President Lincoln's words
from 1862 certainly resonate today.

"The dogmas of the quiet past
are inadequate to the stormy present."

We are currently swept up
in the storms of the present.

Last week's assault
on the capitol leaves
our nation's collective
hearts broken
and our heads reeling.

"...We must think anew,
and act anew."

We need action.

We need answers.

We need accountability.

And then 
we need to work together
to create a path out of this morass.

​"We can only succeed by concert.
It is not, "Can we imagine any better?'
but "Can we all do better?"

We need to heed Lincoln's words.

Our nation depends on us.