Madam President Are You Ready: Grace and Focus Under Pressure

Perspective for September 2024

A Monthly Inspirational Viewpoint of Life’s Journeys with Sonia Wignall.

Episode Twenty – Six

When I heard the news of Vice President Kamala Harris’s accession as the new Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States, I, like many others, was overcomed with both joy and honor.

Living vicariously, I have come to love the Netflix series, “Madam Secretary”. The main character is not only a beloved mom and wife, but a phenomenal “Secretary of State” with the ear and confidence of the President. She is on it, with it, calm, compassionate, focused and leads a tight and formidable team. She understands the “assignment”. She puts out fires around the world, and is respected by global leaders. She is only missing a cape.

When I see VP Kamala Harris, I see the same. During the last Presidential campaign, Kamala Harris, then a VP nominee, was debating VP Mike Pence. As the world watched, VP Pence, had a fly buzzing on top of his head.

We were all waiting to see what Kamala Harris would do, I certainly would have swat it off and deliberately taken the opportunity to hit his head in the process.

She however was calm focused and gave him grace by neither touching his head, nor mentioning the fly on top of it.

This of course was a political prophetic moment in history. The then VP nominee, and now Democratic Party Presidential nominee, VP Kamala Harris had the discipline to stay above the “fly” fray, even when given the opportunity to use the buzzing fly as a pun for the opposition party, and embarrass her debating partner.

To this day, she continues to show grace and focus under pressure. That level of grace has been practiced and sharpened over the years though much experience and trials. That same grace and discipline has elevated her to the top of the ticket. Vice President Kamala Harris is a focused and disciplined woman who has been given a monumental and historical task.

She has the current responsibility as the Vice President of the United States and the future responsibility within a few months as a global world leader. She has to think both globally and nationally simultaneously. She has to choose a VP running mate and assemble a formidable and experienced team to help her lead.

Like in the book of Nehemiah, the enemies that have broken down the walls consider her feeble as she vows to repair them. The mocking of her has included everything from her laughter, heritage, ability, knowledge, leadership, and so on, there will be no letting up. The enemy knows no other way. Fear is raising its ugly bully head and it is on full display.

She has been called a “miserable childless cat-woman”, even though she is the step mom of two beautiful children. She is accused of being the “border Czar”, even though she has no direct control over the amount of illegal persons trying to cross into the United States looking for asylum. No one does. This border crisis has been ongoing for several Presidential terms. If there was a fix, the problem would not continue to persist.

As if it was possible, she is accused of “turning Black” within the last few months because she embraces both her Indian heritage, (her mother), and her Black heritage, (her father).

She is accused of lacking experience although her, political experience, time as a Prosecutor, Senator and Vice President speaks volume of her intellectual capacity, international diplomacy, and deep understanding of the laws governing the US.

She is called weak and feeble, yet she brings strength, resilience, focus and power to the table. She has raised a historical amount of money in a shorter period of time, more than any other candidate in history.

She is called “DEI”, (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), in other words she is accused of being given an undeserved chance simply because of her skin color not based on her qualifications.

Think it through, if DEI creates this much capacity, then bring it on.

The goal here is to dismiss her work and capacity and keep the eyes of the ignorant on the things that makes them the most fearful, and keeps them ignorant.

Although these bullying personal insults and fear tactics work well for the feeble minded, we who are excited about her candidacy, honor and support her. We understand the journey. We understand that DEI alone does not create capacity. DEI opens doors of opportunity for those with the capacity to have a seat at the table.

We understand and celebrate the hard work it took for former Prosecutor and Senator Kamala Harris to become Vice President Kamala Harris and now, the new Democratic Nominee of her party. She has paid a price with much hard work and sacrifice to get here. We take none of her journey for granted, because we can see and identify with the process.

Some of her is in all of us.

“ We believe in her capacity to lead”

“We will take her lead and rise above the “fly” buzzing around their heads”

We have chosen our candidate. We have faith in her capacity to lead. We have faith in the people that will help her lead and greatest of all, we have faith in the God that has chosen her to lead at such a time as this. We pray she will join the ranks of great women leaders around the globe.

Like Vice President/ Presidential Nominee, Kamala Harris, and Neihmiah, we understand the “assignment” and the work God has called us to do, her to do. We must ignore the child-like bully taunting of our enemies. We will stay focused and finish rebuilding the walls.

The Time has come.

Madame President, are you ready?

Link of countries with women in leadership

Image(s) Attribution: Sonia Wignall