Generosity of Spirit

As I watched the Inauguration of our 44th President, I was struck by the tone of both his speech and those individuals caught on camera attending the event. On the riser and below on the Capitol Mall and even among those as far-flung as the Lincoln Memorial, faces reflected an unbounded joy, words spoken invoked images of sacrifice, giving and forgiveness.

The phrase that came to me was “generosity of spirit.” There seemed to be an all-encompassing ability to transcend past transgressions, old hurts, separateness, differing viewpoints, individual ideologies; what could even be called love – for each other, and mankind in general.

Generosity always provokes a response. Sometimes, it is an embarrassed anxiousness, but so often it is a returned generosity instead. Those who give without any expectations inspire others to give what they are capable of in response. So, a wonderful circle of benevolence begins to spiral into a virtual whirlwind of goodwill. Such is what I observed while watching the historic event unfold yesterday. It made me ache to be there.

I experienced this same generosity of spirit once in my life. We lived through the Northridge earthquake, about six miles from the epicenter. It was two men a few doors down to knocked down our front door so that my daughter, husband and I could get out All of the neighbors in our apartment complex supported each other, sharing bottles of water and food, barbequing meat that would otherwise go bad due to no electricity and passing it out to anyone who need it, sleeping together on mattresses set out on the lawn around the complex. The love and concern extended to everyone who entered our circle. I never felt more connected in my life.

The kindness remained for months, but after some time it lost its glitter, an unavoidable phenomenon, I believe. However, it is up to all of us, as a nation, to preserve that feeling, that generosity of spirit, as long as we can; call on it in the worst of times and enjoy it in the best of times.

It is my fervent belief that of all the good President Obama will bring to us this may be the most important.