Michelle Obama - To watch and wonder
The doting parent in all of us sighed a collective sigh of pride as our nation's leader and his young family completed their second inauguration. In front of the world, this family has grown up. Not old, mind you, though some are choosing to concentrate on that strangely NORMAL life experience. (Srsly, though, why are we so surprised when people age?)
Instead, the focus this day should be on growth in the most positive way possible.
I watched the girls watch their mom and dad embrace and that was pretty special. I watch as one daughter took a break from all the hullaballoo and rested her head into her sister as only siblings can cuddle. That was really cute. I watched the girls take to their phones during lulls in the day-long ceremony and then at other times, they would trail their parents from afar when they needed to. I watched and wondered if those two calm and graceful teenagers ever pushed their parent's buttons like any good old American teenager known to man. I wondered if they had ever yelled at their mother. I wondered if their mom had cried in frustration ever or if the teenagers themselves had screamed into their pillows over how "unfair" or "cruel" life is for an average teenager.
I wonder less about political issues, economic uncertainty and Social Security during these certain times. Instead, I take solace in the uncertain-ness we shall all face as teenagers once and parents later. I wonder, therefore I have hope.
Instead, the focus this day should be on growth in the most positive way possible.
The President's daughters are just another pair of daughters, dressed in moderate fashions from Kate Spade and J. Crew. Sure, I enjoyed seeing Michelle Obama command all the attention from her man and the United States as a whole...while wearing yet another gorgeous Jason Wu, but that was not the show stealer, in my humble opinion. My favorite part was watching the First Couple and their two daughters steal away those few fleeting moments of realness while the whole world watched in awe. Those few seconds of goofy smiles, knowing looks, sincere care and parental caution are no stranger to anyone with kids. Indeed, watching these two girls grow up before our eyes brings out the proud parent in all of us.
I watched the girls watch their mom and dad embrace and that was pretty special. I watch as one daughter took a break from all the hullaballoo and rested her head into her sister as only siblings can cuddle. That was really cute. I watched the girls take to their phones during lulls in the day-long ceremony and then at other times, they would trail their parents from afar when they needed to. I watched and wondered if those two calm and graceful teenagers ever pushed their parent's buttons like any good old American teenager known to man. I wondered if they had ever yelled at their mother. I wondered if their mom had cried in frustration ever or if the teenagers themselves had screamed into their pillows over how "unfair" or "cruel" life is for an average teenager.
I wonder less about political issues, economic uncertainty and Social Security during these certain times. Instead, I take solace in the uncertain-ness we shall all face as teenagers once and parents later. I wonder, therefore I have hope.
It's times like this that I remind myself that not only are we all in this together, but we need to take care of each other. We are our daughers' mothers and they are our future.
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