January 21, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, January 21.
It went down to 25 degrees last night at my house, in Tenaha, Texas. Chilly! But it was nothing like the cold weather in Washington D.C. on January 21, 1985, when the windchill was -25, and Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term as President of the United States. On that day, just like yesterday, the inauguration had to be brought inside, inside the Capitol Rotunda.
The Capitol sits at the very center of Washington, and the Rotunda has been called its “heart”. With a diameter of 96 feet and a dome that rises 180 feet above the limestone floor, it is a truly magnificent space. And it is a room that resonates with the story of America. During the Civil War, the Rotunda served as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Just a week ago, Jimmy Carter lay in state in this room, as John Kennedy did in 1963, as Billy Graham did in 2018. Yesterday, Ronald Reagan’s statue looked down on that ceremony, and so did a statue of Dr. King. It is a sacred place.
I was watching on television that day, 40 years ago. I don’t remember anything about Reagan’s speech, but I’ll never forget the song and the singer. It was the legendary opera diva, Jessye Norman. She strode to the stage, bringing her regal and commanding presence. The Rotunda, with its hard surfaces and huge canopy, is a powerful sound amplifier, and Norman’s voice soared to the ceiling, just as Carrie Underwood’s did yesterday, when she sang “America the Beautiful”.
But Ronald Reagan didn’t request a patriotic song. He chose an old Shaker hymn called “Simple Gifts”. It’s one of my favorites.
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ‘tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in the place just right
‘Twill be the valley of love and delight
If you have three minutes to spare, give Jessye Norman a listen. It will warm your heart on this cold, winter’s day.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
