Future generations will simply not believe how majestic and historic this day was. We have seen inaugurations before. I have seen all of them since John Kennedy was inaugurated in January 1961. But none of those past inaugurals affected me as did today's ceremony. I thought about my grandchildren, for whom Barack Obama is just the President, not the first African American President. They won't have to be bound by the sad past. They get to see the hopeful future. I remember reading "Dreams from my Father", Obama's first book and thinking that here was a man who could be President. I had never even heard of him. He was the new Senator from Illinois. He was thoughtful, introspective, articulate and intelligent. All quite good qualities for a President, I thought, and all so obviously lacking in the current President...
But back to today. Everywhere in this country, millions of people stopped what they were doing to watch Barack Obama take the Presidential Oath of Office this morning. It is hard for some of us to understand the magnitude of today in the history of America. Unless your parents or grandparents were made to sit in the back of the bus, drink from different water fountains, attend different schools, were not allowed to vote or own land - unless your ancestors were actually owned by other people, you may not have realized the truly historic significance of this day. Today was a celebration of America.
Those of us who, by luck or money or family or brains or whatever, have had the opportunity to be educated, to be successful, cannot understand the hopelessness with which others have lived their lives. But now, their children too can see that nothing is impossible. No goal too far. Today everything seems possible.
My six year old went to school early today to watch the ceremony on TV. She's just a little younger than Sasha Obama. I think it will be interesting for her to see another little girl grow up in public.
But back to today. Everywhere in this country, millions of people stopped what they were doing to watch Barack Obama take the Presidential Oath of Office this morning. It is hard for some of us to understand the magnitude of today in the history of America. Unless your parents or grandparents were made to sit in the back of the bus, drink from different water fountains, attend different schools, were not allowed to vote or own land - unless your ancestors were actually owned by other people, you may not have realized the truly historic significance of this day. Today was a celebration of America.
Those of us who, by luck or money or family or brains or whatever, have had the opportunity to be educated, to be successful, cannot understand the hopelessness with which others have lived their lives. But now, their children too can see that nothing is impossible. No goal too far. Today everything seems possible.
My six year old went to school early today to watch the ceremony on TV. She's just a little younger than Sasha Obama. I think it will be interesting for her to see another little girl grow up in public.
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