Did you hear it?

On Wednesday, January 20^th, except for a minority of Americans that were waiting to join a “fight-to the death” revolution that didn’t quite materialize, the country breathed a sigh of relief.

New governmental leadership was installed.

Competency, not nepotism or cronyism, determined appointments to key posts. Plans for how to implement policies replaced “We’ll see” promises.

There were so many evocative images from Inauguration Day, from the past week.

I was touched by the sight of the ceremony of remembrance for Americans who died of COVID where 400 lights came on to illuminate the reflective pool between Washington and Lincoln memorials.

I felt hope in the new president’s message about the importance of listening to each other. I was inspired by the words of Amanda Gorman, an exceptionally wise, poised, and beautiful young black woman wrapped in a striking yellow coat.

But I experienced the biggest boost when I witnessed new press secretary, Jen Psaki, behind the podium in the James S. Brady Room in the West Wing, calmly and proficiently inviting and answering questions.

When I started to blog over a decade ago on everyday things I felt grateful for, I didn’t expect to opinion-ate about political matters.  But, as compassion, cooperation, and service represent both personal and social values, reflecting and writing on related topics feels natural.

In Jen Psaki’s, the new press secretary’s, coming out event, she announced that “Truth and transparency” will form her operating principles. Yea!

Our country’s founders understood how important a free and conscientious media is to a democracy. I hadn’t even been introduced to the cruel and radical policies of POTUS #45, like separating immigrant children from their parents, yet I could see that the last administration was at war with the truth and that was dangerous.

Among introductory statements from Sean Spicer, serving as Trump’s first press secretary, was falsely describing the crowd at Trump’s swearing in as “the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the globe.”

I understand that the media does not always get things right, but using the platform of the White House to deliberately push falsehoods (remember the advice to drink bleach as a possible cure for COVID) is unconscionable.

The press briefing room itself has an interesting history. Built during Nixon’s era, just above FDR’s West Wing swimming pool, it’s often referred to as “the small theater.”

During POTUS 45’s term in office, the site, and most everything about the administration, was purely THEATER. All his messages were composed to play on the resentments of his base and were not connected to the truth.

For whatever reason, DFT grossly misunderstood the job. Being president of this country was never supposed to be about getting richer, or getting a private military parade. The job is about “service.”  The power of the office is supposed to come from the people served.

I’m wary of the long-term consequences of so many people not believing in empirical fact. We need to agree on reality before we can debate how to improve it. Still, I have to be encouraged that the new president and his aides are leading with the promise to tell the truth.

I’d like to think this pledge is a sign of respect given to us as citizens — that we can handle the truth, that we’d rather work on problems than let leaders attempt to distract us with fairy tales.

Welcome to the People’s House Joe and Kamala and Jen and Ron et al.

When something new strikes you as being familiar, when everyone is invited to share the important responsibility of carrying forward truth — that’s no small thing.