Time to Pull Together

Tea: Mandarin Green

Music: U2, "Scarlet"

Time: Night.

By now, everything having to do with the Inauguration has been hashed, rehashed, sliced, diced and julienne fried.

Yes, it's historic. Yes, it's meaningful. Yes, it's the Mountaintop Experience.

But you know what?

None of it means squat if we don't all get up tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that, and put in the work required to make this country (and the world at large) better.

That means doing good for people who can't do anything for us in return, for no other reason than that it's the right thing to do. It means looking at each other as human beings worthy of respect, regardless of our differences. It means giving up what we think we deserve sometimes, so others can have their basic needs met from day to day..

I'd like to think we can do it. I think we have the potential. After thousands of years of humanity getting in its own way, though, I wouldn't exactly say we have history on our side.

For all that, I'm not cynical. I'm hopeful, and I know I'm not alone. The question is whether we still have the strength as a people to forge that hope into action.

The only way to find out is to try.