I woke up to this message from my school Whatsapp group today.

My first reaction was “So What?”

But on deeper reflection, I realised that this day would come only once in a Century. As a matter of fact , each day that dawns will come only once in a century. It will come only once in a lifetime.

What is significant about today is the commonality of the number 21.

Indeed this morning is a special morning waking up to the knowledge that the world has one less crazy leader .

Watching the American Presidential Inauguration was perhaps on many people’s agenda – non American like me included . Why was it so important? How did it really matter ?

Well, Metternich, an Austrian politician during Napoleonic times , famously said that when France sneezes, the whole of Europe gets a cold. In today’s world, France has been replaced by the United States of America and when it sneezes, it affects the whole world .

In the post colonial era, the US, which had for years enjoyed years of geographical isolation, became the world leader by virtue of its growth and innovation in all walks of life .

As a major influencer, it played Big Brother to many nations and became a power to reckon with.

With this power, it shaped and influenced the rest of the world . Governments were toppled, new alliances formed and even Nature was affected by its economic and manufacturing policies.

While it is foolish to blame the world’s ills on one nation, it cannot be denied that no one is immune to its influence.

Power is fragile and has to be handled with care. Especially when the power to press a nuclear button vests in someone who is impulsive, whimsical and quite honestly irrational.

During the last US election when I was visiting my daughter, my friends and relatives were most upset when I told them that Indian astrologers had predicted a Republican victory. They were somewhat mollified when I told them the rest of the prediction : that the President would be assassinated soon after

But seeing the violence and uncivil ‘war’ that erupted in the US in 2020 and the absolutely shocking behaviour at Capitol Hill early this month, who knows what would have happened if that prediction had come true?

So even though the inauguration was witnessed ‘virtually’ by most people, it was heartening to see the flags fluttering on a mild winter morning as a new American President promised an administration with a more rational and humane approach to governance .

It is no wonder then, that today is a day of great significance.

What do you think ?

Ciao

p.s. The illustration is from Canva