It happened! A new week...a different Friday afternoon...

One of the most impressive photos of the week, for me, was this one. The process of the now 'previous President' climbing on this huge, massive green helicopter, and slowly rising up to flying altitude, and moving over the Mall, for a last look at Washington from the air. Or maybe for a last look at Washington, and for Washington to see them leaving the White House, as if to assure everyone they were ...ehem...'out'?

The scene had a combination of feelings. Empathy drove a sadness for them: for the Prez and his wife. For the staff that had worked for them. For the people that would need to be with them these long hours. For their semi-sweet feeling of leaving, but yet - maybe - their rejoicing that it was now all over. The pain of change was to 'pass' now. A sadness for their feeling, maybe at a deep inner sense of self, that they - and those around them - had faced an overwhelming rejection by their compatriots, by their institutions, and by the world. Can you imagine...just imagine...?

And still, time after time, this man deflected reality, asserted his opinions (little facts), stomped on those that differed and ridiculed their opinions, and capped it all with a total disregard for "the public polls". In other words, as if..."I could care less for what you think!". Is that arrogance? Or ignorance? Or...?

At another level, the scene was reminiscent of many years ago: the last flight out of Saigon. People rushing to the pad; swarming the gates of the Embassy(?); hands and arms outstretched grabbing for a place at this metal 'bird' that would pluck them out of their fears into a place they knew nothing about, but that presented itself as the only hope, a probable hope. Seeing that helicopter fly way, and the screams and sighs of those left behind...was unbearable.

Two different places: two different situations. Yet, one helicopter. One passage. Different people. Yet, in a sense, similar emotions in alternate domains. Leaving - leaving behind; freeing - from that left behind. Remaining - staying behind; sending away - letting go; releasing - left alone. All positions in the spiral board of life. I have been in both places: not Vietnam, not in 'that' Washington. But, I have said my goodbye's; I have heard 'goodbye's. I have stayed behind while the other/s go away. I have left others behind, while I go away. Some of those goodbye's have been tears: jagged relational ends remain to be cleaned by the processes of life in time. Others have been cuts: sharp edges, surprising and jolting, wounds to be savored over time and in time healed only thru their acceptance and internalizing.

The loneliness of both positions is awesome. The moment feels as desolate and empty and its sound like that of a vacuum fathoms deep. Externally, tears and smiles may show, betraying whatever processes are really going on.

Yet, for me, the final meaning of this photo, has to be along the lines - after reflecting on their meaning and its relevance to my life - that liberation as a process was rapidly evolving from the state of ignorance and inadequacies of this man. At last, he was leaving. That ignorance has caused interminable suffering for millions. De - cider? No! ...De - structor! The root of the word means "to construct"; I think this man has "de" - struct: lives, nations, economies, faith, paradigms, rights, hopes. His leaving has to be important; meaningful. Transitioning from the felt empathy for his loss, allows and brings the experience and the joy of fear leaving. Light can now come back into what was heretofore, darkness.

And that is the other taste of the moment: the joyfulness of release, of hope coming back, of the soul feeling the warmth of millions joining with it in glee. On the Mall at Washington, on the streets of America, in remote and unknown places in Africa, on TV, on the street, across the oceans, across the sofa at home.

Goodbye Mr. Bush. Mrs. Bush.

Welcome Barack and Michele! What do you need? How can we help?