January 20, 2009: Inauguration Day, United States

Today’s transformational inauguration reminded me of a wedding.  A
day of celebration, connection, and possibility. Everyone- well, most
everyone- feeling festive, hopeful. Smiling faces, camera  flashes,
awe-filled eyes. No one seemed to mind that the weather wasn’t ideal.
There were, of course, some relatives (read: politicians) who didn’t
get along, who share only ideological differences. In the spirit of the
day, even they were cordial.

After the completion of this grand ceremony that filled the cool
D.C. air with speeches, song, and poetry, tonight reception rooms are
filled with party goers. Those who witnessed the swearing-in live and
in person are now warming up with mouth-watering  food, sparkling
champagne, hugs, kisses, hand-shaking, well wishes. Some party
guests will stand in the after-party corners and hallways, talking
about the challenges ahead and wondering how long the honeymoon will
last. Some will whisper that it won’t last. Others will take it all in, starry eyed, hopeful that a day like this could maybe even  change the way the world works.

For me, as I watched the speeches, marveled at the crowds, and cried
with relief that a new day had come, I was reminded of a breakfast I
had with my Mom, a few weeks before my own wedding. She said, “Don’t
worry too much about the wedding day. Enjoy it but it needn’t be the
end all, be all. The marriage, the real work, that begins the day after.”

And so it is.

For the United States, tomorrow, January 21st, 2009 is the day after
and not just for President Obama, Vice President Biden, and the Obama
Administration. Tomorrow is the day after for us all. How will we start that day? How will we spend it and the days that follow?

For the parking lot pundits and the starry-eyed dreamers this day
can be a moment that doesn’t fade, an energy that doesn’t recede. This
day can be a moment that, because of us, becomes momentum. The key here: because of us.

Obama and his administration will do their part. They should not do
less. They cannot do more. For their campaign platform to have legs, to
move economic and social mountains, we will have to do our part.

Now is not the time to sit back and say, “Well, we elected him. Let’s see what he can do.” Now is the time to say “We elected him. Let’s see what I can do.”

For my part, for our part, I offer my take on 3 things we can do to
transform the Obama platform from great ideas into great realities:



1. Criticize less. Participate more. When we are
critical of what others do, what others don’t do, we don’t appear
smart. We appear critical. Critical should stay in the yesterday.
Critical thinking combined with positive action should be the future.
If we don’t like a policy, a law, a system, how can we change it? 
Together, let’s stop wondering why “they” aren’t doing something about
sub-prime mortgages, poverty, or healthcare. What do we want to do
about sub-prime mortgages, poverty, and healthcare? Let’s read more. Learn more. Become experts. Do. Act. Be involved.
Talking about what others should do is not the same as doing ourselves.
Today, let’s figure out what we want to see changed and let’s get busy
changing it.



2. Live Your Legacy, Don’t Leave Your Legacy. The
last twenty years in America have been about getting ahead.
Unfortunately that has translated not as living our soul’s desire or
being in service to the greater good. Getting ahead has translated as
making money, and lots of it with the aim of leaving it as part of our
legacy. Change happens today.  Our children don’t need to inherit money from us. Our children need to inherit a livable planet.
In 2009, let’s redefine getting ahead as learning more, sharing more,
contributing to the betterment of all, investing today in humanity, and
living our legacy, not leaving one.

3. Live a Generous Life. How do you define
generosity? What does it mean to live a generous life?  It can be scary
to live generously if resources feel scarce. Allow generosity- the
habit of giving- to guide and support you during scarce times.
Contribute your time, talents, and treasure, even if conventional
wisdom tells you to “hunker down” and “weather the storm”. Giving in
times of affluence is easy. Giving when we’re quaking in our boots
transforms the world. Let’s give when we’re scared. Let’s live
generously.

Criticizing less, participating more, earning only what we need, and
living a generous life may not change the world overnight, but they may
just keep the magic of January 20th, 2009 alive and well throughout
this important marriage.

Keep me posted. I’ll do the same for you on my progress.