It’s said that actions speak louder than words – that sticks and stones may break our bones. Humanity has seen countless examples of why the first part of this expression is true throughout history and most importantly, in our own lives. One can argue that this is no longer just a part of an expression when we’re caught in a wild, violent storm with no cover or shelter.
It becomes something much more that may not be fully understood or explained until the right time comes. While waiting for that moment, navigating the storm becomes a personal duty in order to move forward. It then slowly becomes a journey of redemption or healing, which may present an opportunity to share one’s story and help others. There might even be a moment where one individual’s struggles turn into someone else’s inspiration and strength – even if the person who’s struggling holds some sort of widespread influence or power.
Former Vice President Joe Biden recently appeared on an episode of The View while promoting his new book, “Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose”, in which he talks openly about the tragic death of his son, Beau, who died from an aggressive form of brain cancer known as Glioblastoma in 2015. With Whoopi Goldberg and the other hosts of the show sitting around their table, Biden articulated how this life-changing diagnosis and loss left him unprepared for any possibility of a successful presidential run.
His genuine honesty during the interview was a true testament to the meaning behind the title of the book, which was a promise that Beau prompted him to make: that he would find a way to make peace and move on after his death. This broke the ice for an emotionally moving segment that has been talked about and shared by mainstream media outlets across social media that’s going viral.
However, the women sitting at that table weren’t the only ones to join him. Meghan McCain, daughter of Senator John McCain, took her seat at the table as well. She told her own emotional story about struggling to read Biden’s book – knowing that just six short months ago, her father was diagnosed with the exact same cancer that killed Beau.
“I couldn’t get through your book. I tried,” she tearfully said to Biden, who was sitting a few seats down from her at the table. “I think about Beau almost every day, and I was told that this doesn’t get easier – but [you] cultivate the tools to work with this and live with this. I know you and your family have been through tragedy that I couldn’t conceive of.”
This was the moment Biden got up from his seat and sat down beside Meghan before gently grasping her hand. This was also the moment when he put his heart on display, as a father and as a man:
“One of the things that gave Beau courage was, [your father], John,” he compassionately told Meghan. “Your Dad took care of my Beau. [Beau] talked about your Dad’s courage. Not about illness, but about his courage.”
Biden concluded by reassuring Meghan that “there is a lot of hope.” Even though he was referring to John McCain’s diagnosis, this was something that every person in the audience – and every person watching at home – needed to hear right now. Not just as individuals who have their own hardships and struggles, but also as people living in this country – whether they’re a red-blooded American or an immigrant trying to build s life here.
Biden wasn’t a former Vice President of the United States in that moment. He was a man, a father, consoling someone who now has to share the same weight of cancer that he carries. And most likely still carries to this day. It’s difficult not to come back to the fact this man has said numerous times outside of this interview, the death of his son did not give him the tools he needed to be an effective Commander-in-Chief, let alone run for President.
Biden was arguably the best public figure to deliver that message of hope – not just because the appropriate opportunity presented itself, but also because his heart and mind transcended politics in that moment. There were no games, no agenda and no strings attached. This was a portrait of the strength and resiliency of humanity, painted by someone who once held power – and still does, simply by sharing his story. In fact, he might hold even more power now, because he’s doing something powerful and purposeful with the promise Beau prompted him to make.
It’s worthwhile to note that Biden was still serving as Vice President to Barack Obama when this tragedy struck. That fact alone paints another picture about not only the commitment to his duties, but it speaks volumes about his potential, quality and worth as a human being.
Yes, the fact that Joe Biden held John McCain’s daughter’s hand on national television matters. Yes, it’s hard to think of him as a former Vice President after that interview segment, because he was fighting a personal war behind closed doors. If anything, this man deserves praise for balancing his personal and professional life in a poised and civil manner.
I’ll end with this: if a man of Biden’s stature possesses such admirable qualities – and knows how to put them to work in an honest way, how loud would the cheers be if one day, the right moment came for him to run for the highest seat in the Land of the Free?