I was driving to work on Friday morning when I heard a report on NPR about Vice President Joe Biden's recent trip to Atlanta, GA. He was giving a talk at a local synagogue, and the moderator asked him about his intentions in the 2016 Presidential race. Now I'm willing to bet money that he's been asked this over and over again, and I'm sure that there could easliy be a canned political answer to that question. But Mr. Biden gave a response that really caught my attention. Here's the video of it.
In response to the questions, he says, candidly, "The most relevant factor in my decision is whether my family and I have the emotional energy to run... Unless I am able to devote my whole heart and whole soul to this endeavor, it would not be appropriate... There is no way to put a timetable on that."
How remarkable! Those words gave me such a soaring respect for Mr. Biden. I don't think anyone would argue, since losing his son Beau to cancer just this past May, that he's not entitled to a little emotional space. But how many of us would be willing to be vulnerable enough to admit the need for that kind of space and then brave enough to actually claim it!? There seems to be this expectation in our lives that we be superhuman. When the time or opportunity arrives to do something potentially advantageous, we are pressured to seize it - regardless of our readiness or our ability to handle the repercussions of it. We get lost in the thrust of carpe diem, and forget that sometimes, the timing just isn't right.
Do I think Joe Biden would make a great president? I absolutely do. But I absolutely respect his need for more emotional time and space. Furthermore, I don't want our country in the hands of someone who isn't able to devote full attention to the job.
To say, "I wish I was ready; I want to be ready, but I'm just not" is, to me, the ultimate act of courage. It shows vulnerability, yes, but more importantly - it show tremendous strength and wisdom. That is a person who knows who he is and what he is capable of. It is a person who respects his own boundaries and recognizes his limitations. That is a person, who, when he is ready, would, in my opinion, make an excellent leader of the nation. I can't help but respect and admire his courage.
I think we could all take a lesson from Vice President Biden. Sometimes, things just aren't right - no matter how good they look on paper. We need to listen to our heart and trust our gut, because no matter how great it seems, forcing something never works out well.
Will he ever be ready? I suppose that's up for Mr. Biden and his family to figure out.
Will the opportunity arise again? If it's meant to be, then yes. One thing I have learned is that life has a way of putting us where we need to be. If that is meant to happen, it will happen somehow.
And while I get where he is coming from, I do have to say, if Mr. Biden were to decide he did, after all, have the emotional energy to tackle the job, he would have my vote!
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