FORMER President Bush

Ahhh.

Sweeter words were never spoken. FORMER President Bush. That's all I have to say about that.

Watching PRESIDENT Obama's Inauguration was inspiring. I think I know why I like him so much—there is something about his quiet soft-spoken confidence and the manner in which he speaks that reminds me of my Dad—calm, reassuring, intelligent, certain.

Obama thinks before speaking rather than opening his mouth and rambling just to fill space while he reaches for an answer. My Dad was like that. I'd ask a question of a somewhat serious nature, and we'd all just wait. Dad would shift slightly in his seat, clear his throat, maybe take a carefully measured sip of his drink while considering the question.

Just about the time my Mother would begin to squirm (she was the impatient one, "just TALK, Stewart!!"), my Dad would lift one finger in the air (signaling us to hold on one moment). Then he'd utter the non-committal noise—ah-heh.... mm—that we all knew was the prelude to the short, succinct bit of wisdom that was about to emerge.

Then, using words as carefully measured as the sip of the drink he'd previously taken, Dad would calmly and quietly answer. The way he spoke, you could feel the punctuation mark at the end. And usually you came away reassured and wiser for it.

My Dad was a man of few words, but what words he did offer were worth their weight in gold. He was a man whose mere presence in the background provided security and the reassurance that everything was all right and would continue to be.

He was a man of certainty, conviction to his cause, and held a quiet confidence in the face of all storms.

Obama reminds me a lot of my very pale but ruddy, blue-eyed Scottish-German father, and that's a very good thing.

Welcome to the Obamanation.

Labels: musings

posted by Jeanne @ 1:14 PM