During every significant transition in life, it is hard not to become nostalgic and reflective. And Barack Obama’s imminent exit from the White House is no different.
For the last eight years Obama has been the leader of the free world.
Being the first black American President in history, his name will forever be etched in our history books.
But I am sure Obama will want to be remembered for more than just being the first black US president.
Looking in from the outside, I think the Obamas gave the White House a face lift – not literally of course.
But they changed the way we viewed the first family and ultimately Barack’s presidency.
They made it more “human”, but not just human, they gave it a friendly face.
Often the US has asserted its authority in ways that were not always popular.
But Obama’s approach seems to have been one of extending a friendly hand, building bridges, promoting a society that tolerated and even celebrated the individual’s rights and their choices.
While his presidency faced some of the most difficult challenges in dealing with race relations in the US and the #BlackLives versus #AllLives movements – Obama has maintained a firm, but gentle hand, at the same time, in dealing with the sensitive subject.
At one time he would give a stern speech about the shocking gun laws that enable unfit individuals to acquire arms and a few moments later the same man would be singing in a “black church” while delivering a eulogy.
Obama’s presidency should remind us all that it is possible to have a level-headed individual ascend the highest office – and make adult decisions in the interests of advancing the greater good.
Was it perfect?
Obviously not – it will never be. But that is the space in which we operate – humanity. We will always fall short of the standard, because of our nature.
And the political playing field makes it even trickier.
What Obama has done, is successfully dispelled the notion that power is a matter of force.
He has proven that influence can be achieved by walking a different path.
That dialogue is much better than conflict.
While that may have made him unpopular among the populists, I think he has not worried about them too much – the world needs less of them anyway.