I know that here, and all through the blogosphere, people are quickly typing out their responses to President Barack Obama's memorial speech tonight in Tucson. For some, it's merely amplification of something they have already made on a comment thread. Or something they've been saying in various ways for the past five days. Others have something more original in mind. And longer. Some want to make sure the speech gets the limitless praise they believe it deserves. Others want to chip or rip away at this or that phrase or perspective in the speech. Or chastise the audience for behavior deemed inappropriate. Or take a few more whacks at this or that politician or media personality.
No surprise. Instant analysis is the world we're immersed in. It didn't start with blogs or Facebook or Twitter. Our television "experts" have been engaged in this behavior for decades.
I'm not doing that tonight. No instant analysis. Because the message I got from President Obama was to avoid that approach. What stood out for me was:
...it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds. ...
...to look forward, to reflect on the present and the future, on the manner in which we live our lives and nurture our relationships with those who are still with us. We may ask ourselves if we've shown enough kindness and generosity and compassion to the people in our lives. Perhaps we question whether we are doing right by our children, or our community, and whether our priorities are in order. We recognize our own mortality, and are reminded that in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame - but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others.
That process of reflection, of making sure we align our values with our actions - that, I believe, is what a tragedy like this requires.
So no analysis of the speech from me tonight. No comments about the audience. No digs at my political foes. I'm going to take the President's advice. I'm going to ponder for awhile. To look inside. To see what I might do differently in my daily discourse. For as long as it takes.