Congratulations!
I am sure there will be lawsuits and arguing against your presidency. But I don't think they hold much weight. You won with the largest vote ever in the history of the country. I voted for you because I saw within you a person of character and substance. I have seen you as a man who lives with his mistakes, loves his family, supports his children through their darkest moments. The story of you at the graveside of your son on election day moved me deeply. I have heard people speak of your capacity to forgive, to collaborate and to cross the aisle to get things done. We need that character and ability now more than ever.
As the news stations show pictures of cheering and celebrations of those who voted for you, others might be apprehensive or angry. But, we are America together. We are in a fight together...a fight against a virus that seeks to destroy us, a fight against a struggling economy, a fight against our inner demons and external threats. You lead us in that fight. You campaigned on fighting for the soul of America. I am with you in that fight.
Four years ago I wrote to President-Elect Trump asking him to be a humble president. I write that same message to you now, hoping that you will live this out in the coming years.
President-Elect Biden: be a humble presidentI follow a definition of humility coined by John Dickson, in his book Humilitas. He defines humility as the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources and use your influence for the good of others before yourself. It is a practical definition that can be used well to guide you in your presidency. If I may be bold, here are some thoughts on how you can be humble. I don't expect you to succeed at this all the time. I fail at it often, even daily. But what a worthwhile goal to strive towards in being humble!
First, it is a noble choice. Not weak, not crazy or stupid. It is dignified, powerful and displays a virtue well depicted by your friend, President Obama. Make that noble choice for ALL of us!
Second, forgo your status. You have been given the highest status in public service in our country. There are many titles and statuses that go with your new position of POTUS - commander in chief, signer of laws, one who appoints judges and more. The fullest one is that you are a public servant. Forgoing means not holding onto your status for your benefit, but using it for the benefit of others. Be a public servant...serve ALL the American people well by forgoing your status benefits and using them to help everyone improve. Since we live in a world where what happens across the globe impacts us here at home, you have the privilege and opportunity to forgo that status in the expense of serving humanity. Please, do it well. Status has been given to you Forgo it as a servant to ALL.
Third, deploy your resources. The election has bestowed on you numerous resources to help or destroy the world many times over. In your public life deploy your resources for the good of America and the world. Deploy these resources wisely, and for the good of many, not the benefit of the few.
Fourth, use your influence. One description of the president's power is that all he has are relationships and influence. But oh, what influence and what powerful relationships. You have the ability now to influence global markets, determine family prosperity for generations, unite or divide us as a country, plunge us into a world war or build a global village. You have that influence. You could use it for personal benefit, familial promotion or party aggrandizement OR you could use it for upliftment, empowerment and improvement for ALL.
I am not naive to the impossible task this presents, or to the past struggles we have witnessed in recent years. We are a divided country, with huge rifts to overcome. I am aware of the struggles, but not as deeply or as knowledgeable as you are. This is why I ask you to be better than we hope...a tough request I am sure. Avoid lowering the base part of who we are, resist reducing our rhetoric to sound bites and instead lift our hopes, raise our dreams and expand our vision. Paint a picture of the greatness we might become, but then inspire us to work with you in building that grander experience for all of us.
Be humble Mr President.
Make that your legacy.
God bless you.
God bless us all.
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