PAGE 132
2006 Open House
On p. 132 of GR, Sarah continues her discussion of her family's first hours in the Governor's Mansion in Juneau following her election in 2006 as Governor of Alaska.
She writes, "The first night in our new home, I tried to light a nice, cozy fire for the kids in one of the eight fireplaces. Problem was, it hadn't been used in years. I didn't know the dampers were closed, so the house filled with smoke and alarms summoned the local fire department. Next some revelers 'welcomed' the First Family on our lawn, and our neighbors had to call the police department. It was nice to meet Juneau's first responders.
"We got the house in order by the next day, just in time for Juneau's annual cookies-and-cider open house. We couldn't have done it without our patient and kind house manager, Erika Fagerstrom, and her fun family full of teenagers, who would become friends of the Palin kids. And after thousands of people came through the mansion for Juneau's annual event, staff member Diane Diekman and her helpers turned the formal house back into a home.
"Later, after Trig was born, the staff became even more like family. They'd come to work early and we’d all congregate in the kitchen and have a cup of coffee together before our official workdays would begin. Before friends would arrive to help take care of Trig, and I headed off to the Capitol, the staff would kiss Piper good-bye and send her on her way to school."
I would like to share a few thoughts with you this morning on various aspects of this charming and bright passage.
First, in regard to the initial paragraph that is cited above, let us observe the Governor's wonderful spirit. She tries to light a fire for the kids and it all goes wrong. Later the police have to come because of some overly-exuberant revelers. However, she laughingly sees the best in and gets the most out of these distressing situations. And, as we have seen before, she is a genius with humorous understatement. The final words of the first paragraph above are, IMV, Classic Sarah: "It was nice to meet Juneau's first responders."
This sense of proportion and of wit in straitened minutes and moments is no insignificant virtue. We witness it here in a relatively small matter. However, the same cast and contours of soul came to her aid, I think, on the evening of 3 September, 2008, as she was delivering her RNC VP acceptance speech to a vast hall full of people, and to a television audience of tens of millions. Her teleprompter failed (and was likely sabotaged).
The broad and generous heart that said "It was nice to meet Juneau's first responders" probably said something like "It will be nice to speak to all these people from my gut and from my heart, and not just from a script." From the sabotaged teleprompter came, not the failure of her great speech, as her enemies were hoping, but rather the glorious and unforgettable moment that has bestowed for all time its name and its crown upon it: "The Lipstick Speech." Such are the ways of Divine Providence in working with a brave and gallant spirit like Sarah's!!
BTW, this same quality will stand her in good and sturdy stead when she faces various crises in the White House as our President!!
In the third paragraph, let us observe Sarah the Unifier, even in small matters. She and the staff share common things, namely friendship, conversation, and coffee, before they head off in the morning to their very different duties and responsibilities. The Governor does not look down upon and despise the staff. They are not (just) the "help"; they are friends … family even.
I think that this is how she will view all Americans when, God willing, she takes up residence in the White House. Leftists and RINOs may pay lying lip-service to this concept, but it is clear that in reality they regard the American People as peons, subjects … even slaves. Sarah, by contrast (and what a contrast!!), views us with respect and love as fellow citizens!!
Finally, let us note the distinction that she makes in the second paragraph: The Governor's Mansion is a house, but it is also a home. The staff had to turn "the formal house back into a home" after the annual open house.
I think that it would be fruitful to reflect for a moment upon the distinction between "house" and "home," especially in connection with that House and Home that we hope Sarah and Todd and their family will be occupying from 20 January, 2017 and on.
A house and a home may "materially" occupy the same place. But the house is like the physical "matter," the BODY … that which breathes life and vitality and spirit into the house; that which makes it a HOME, may be regarded as the SOUL of the place.
The physical edifice of the White House remains more or less the same from President to President.
However, I believe that our Sarah has the power to make it a true HOME in spirit, and not just for her own family, but for ALL AMERICANS.
Not all of us will be able physically to visit the White House during the Palin Years, but I am sure we will all feel:
THIS IS A PLACE WHERE I CAN FEEL"AT HOME," IN THE TRUEST SENSE AND SIGNIFICATION OF THE TERM.
THIS IS MY HOME AND AMERICA'S HOME BECAUSE A LADY WARRIOR NOW RESIDES HERE WHO BREATHES LIFE AND SPIRIT INTO THE ANCIENT WALLS; WHO EMBODIES IN HER OWN SELF THE VALUES WITH WHICH WE DESIRE TO BUILD UP OUR OWN HOMES AND THE ENTIRE EDIFICE AND STRUCTURE OF THE RES PUBLICA AMERICANA!!
When Sarah moves into the White House …
AMERICA WILL HAVE COME HOME!!!!
