Hello, friends!
Last night, a streak was broken. It had been 6 years, 1 month, and 1 week since I'd last shed a tear. If you're wondering how I know that, it's because it had been over 4 years since I'd shed a tear before that and another almost 4 years since I'd shed a tear before that. Yeah, I don't cry very often.
You may be thinking to yourself, "how had he gone 6 years between cries?! Or 4 years before that?! Has he no soul?! Is he actually a robot?!"
Well, I don't think I'm a robot (who can say for sure though?) but I am someone who is more on the "thinker" side of things than the "feeler" side of things. I'm also very task oriented, which can keep me from getting too into my emotions. The last times that I'd gotten close were the birth of each of my children (I kept it together because I had a job to do, namely, help Megan through the birthing process) and when I saw Megan walk down the aisle (but those potential tears were immediately replaced by the the excitement of getting to marry Megan).
So, what was it that finally brought me to tears for only the 5th time in my adult life? The Parade Across America. Regardless of your politics, the virtual Parade Across America was inspiring. Performers from all 56 states and US territories were represented, as well as vignettes from everyday heroes. Each vignette (except for Wisconsin, which just had the Bucks mascot dunking via trampoline) showed members of a community putting on their best show as a congratulations to the Biden Administration. Watching, there were a few things that struck me:
- The diversity of performances. It wasn't just that Black, White, Native, Asian, and LatinX folk were all given a chance to be centered. It was also that there was even a diverse expression of art. The marching band from Colorado looked very different from the marching band from the HBCU. The dancers from Texas were different from the Native dancers from Hawaii. I totally lost in when the Chinese kids from Delaware did the dragon dance. it was beautiful.
- Military support. The military was represented in a few different ways. The children of military families stationed abroad did a thing. There was also an Honor Guard and a group from a military academy. It was inspiring to see those who represent our military salute and welcome their new commander in chief.
- The masks. Pretty much every performance had folk in masks. The marching band from Colorado even had students playing their instruments through their masks, which was something to see. Seeing all these men, women, and children in masks made me sad and proud at the same time. It was sad to see that this is what we need to do now but I was also so proud of the ingenuity of the American Spirit. We're making it work, best we can.
All in all, I don't regret crying on Wednesday. I don't mind the streak being broken. I don't mind saying so either. With the new administration I plan on doing what I have done for the past 15 years or so, which is pray for our elected officials whenever I hear the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance. Who knows, maybe there will be more tears of joy to come in the near future as our country heals from such a divisive time.
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
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