I imagine everyone with a blog is writing about the inauguration of President Obama today. I’m no exception.
I purposefully scheduled no appointments this morning, intending instead to watch the festivities on TV since I can’t be there in person. Though I did end up taking a few calls and helping a couple of clients, at 10:30am, I walked away from the computer and planted my teary-eyed self smack dab in front of the TV, box of tissues in hand.
As emotional as the images and speeches were on TV, for me the most emotional moment was when I looked at Oldest Son and saw unabashed tears in his eyes. I passed him the Puffs box and he unashamedly took a couple and blew his nose and wiped his eyes.
For anyone who knows Oldest Son, you know how big a deal it was for the days events to affect him the way they did. As he listened to President Obama tell us that we all must “pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America,” he teared up again. For all his cynicism, Oldest Son gets what today means, and I think there is a personal message in today’s events for him, as well. Whether he acts on that message remains to be seen.
Second Son asked me as he left to get on the bus this morning if I would record the swearing in and the Inaugural Speech for him. This is the child of mine for whom I see so much hope and promise in the fact that there is now a face in the White House that looks like his. Today, a man became President whose personal story has so much in common with Second Son’s – born to a white mother and a black father who is not a part of his life, shaped by close relationships with his maternal, white, middle-class grandparents…the path of possibility was cleared for Second Son today.
But more than all of this, I am encouraged by President Obama’s message that what lies ahead will not be easy, but we’re in it together. I have no illusions that he will be able to wave a magic wand and solve all our country’s problems in one stroke, but I do believe that he was the ability to elicit different behavior out of us, the American people by recognizing our hopes, our struggles and our dreams and letting us know we are heard. I, for one, have never felt like my President has heard me, knows who I am or understands what’s important to me…until now. Because I feel heard and understood, I am willing to follow his leadership, trust in his judgment and support him.
I remember shaking my head in disbelief at those who would deride Obama for being a “community organizer”, as if that somehow had no relevance to his bid for Presidency. What is this nation but a huge, diverse community in dire need of some organization?!
As I see it today, Obama’s Promise is that he’s come to lead, inspire and organize us all into action that propels us, individually and as a nation, forward. As long as he keeps talking to me, as long as I feel heard – whether I agree with every decision he makes, or not – I will support him.
I’ll leave you with my favorite part of his inaugural speech:
“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”
-President Barack Obama
Get real. Nothing will change except the rich get richer and the poor get more welfare and I pay for it all with my taxes. It doesn’t matter what color the person in office is or what gender, you are living in the dream world if you really think that they will give a rats ass what you need. Do as you tell me…live in the real world.
Wow. BabySis – I had no idea yours was a mind requiring dynamite and a new way of thinking. So, you’re just stuck in the middle getting screwed, eh?
I submit to you that your attitude and it’s resulting complacency are President Obama’s biggest problem now that he’s in office. How does he get real change to occur when so many of his constituents would rather watch Dancing With the Stars or American Idol than get involved?
Have you not figured out (or heard what he reiterated yesterday) that for change to occur for you, YOU have to change. Government can make it easier or harder for you to do, it can reward you more or less through taxes, programs, and benefits, but as long as you’ve decided the government doesn’t give a shit about you and what you need, nothing will change for you because you won’t be paying attention to the changes government makes or getting off your large part to help yourself when they make them.
(Oh, and by the way? You don’t have to wait on the government. You can start making your life better any time you get ready. Losing that “poor me, nobody in government cares about me, I have to pay for everything but get none of the benefits – I think I’ll go eat worms” whine would be a helpful start.)
i don’t really think it matters it he’s black or white. the whole election wasn’t just based on skin color, the real important thing is how the president is going the help change the world. honestly i think that some people voted for him because his is part black. im not calling them stupid, i see where they’re coming from but i tought that way too for a while, but skin color doesn’t have much to do with plans to change america.
Marlborogirl – You’re absolutely right – this election was not merely about color or race. And whether or not he’s black or white has little to do with whether he’ll be able to effect change and lead our nation, but for children like my Second Son, it’s important to see that someone of color can aspire to and ATTAIN the highest office in the land. As a mother trying to encourage her child to reach for all he can be, it’s nice to not feel like I’m making my son empty promises when I say he can reach as high as he wants.
First let me say I love your post. I am not much on history and the making of. But yesterday was different for me. One of the things that inspired me the most was the fact my president was talking to ME. He was not talking to White, African American, Chinese, Japanese, He was talking to ME and ALL Americans. He was calling ME to duty like no other president has ever done before. I plan to support his efforts and do my part, because unless we ALL pull our sleeves up and get a little dirty one thing is for sure.. nothing will change. And I am ready for change.
Tracy – I agree – no other President has made me feel personally called to duty. Maybe its our age, because when I see clips from JFK’s inaugural address, I get the same feeling. I think FDR had the same effect on that generation.
Suzanne, the thing that got me the most was watching a million people freezing their collective asses off in front of the TV cameras just to be part of something so big no one person can claim hold of it ~ a renaissance of dedication to ideals and to commit to the work it will take to right some pretty awful situations not of our individual making. The million plus faces came from every sector of the country — and some from abroad — to witness this event, this staking-out of a claim to the future and our common purpose to make it better, whatever it takes.
There may not be enough tissues in the world to contain the tears of relief when we realize that together, YES WE CAN and yes we will — in no small part because someone dared to dream it possible and to stand there and tell us that same thing.
There is an old Christian hymn that says, “Go Tell It On The Mountain”. I think we just did.
What remains is for us to take that seed that was planted deep in our collective hearts and go DO something with it.
Oh and by the way? Stay tuned for what I plan to do with a couple of the seeds I took away from the Inauguration and the events leading up to it. Get on my blogs to learn what I’ll be doing with “Bright Wings Bucks”.
But the most important part of all this? The message is so clear, for everyone who can hear it: “Do something good with what you have. Stop feeling sorry about what isn’t working, and get busy doing something about what’s right in front of you that IS doable. By you. Right now.”
I’m telling you I heard that message loud and clear and today I’m busy revising some of my previous plans, so that I can make way for the new.
Oh yeah. One more thing. Ever try to stop a baby being born? You just go try that. This moment is the same thing. If you can’t help, get out of the way. Change is coming on, baby!
Nancy Boyd´s last blog post..Emergency: Activate Your Grid NOW!
Nancy – this is EXACTLY why I’m so glad I know you! My response to you? AMEN, AMEN, AMEN!!!
Exactly – that's the point!
Very touching.
Well, Suzanne–
I couldn’t have said it any better myself. The whole conference room I was in (filled with 100 conference attendees)was watching the Inauguration and tearing up. While SOME may have been crying BECAUSE Obama is president, MOST were crying because he represents hope. Plain and simple. For some, the hope manifests itself in skin color. In others, it manifests itself in a change in the status quo (amen!). I just love that so many people felt hope yesterday. The key will be to fan the flames of hope and use the heat to do as you suggested: to make a difference in our own lives however we can.
Thanks for an inspiring post!
Karen
As many are saying…”The end of an era, I mean error.”
Obama makes us all feel good.
I love ur blog and hope to read more in the new year.
Grog´s last blog post..Maintaining Youth Through Diet
All are saying that the “time has come for changing and a peaceful nation”. Lets see what Obama do. By the way your blog is really good and meaningful and hope u will keep on writing such nice posts.
I agree with you. I think I have read a lot of blog post about Obama. The inauguration strikes the whole world… why? because this is history. Obama now needs to prove that he is worthy of the votes.
Our hopes are also with obama. all the republican countries are waiting curiously to being something better. Any way let’s wait what does happen?
To be honest I don’t think much will change with Obama in charge. One thing might – hopefully he’ll make Americans look better outside of the US. With George, who wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, the whole world thought the American people were like our prez…
Now that we have an intelligent guy in charge, hopefully we can use this to our advantage and fight these stereotypes.
I love so many things about America…one of them is the right to have an opinion. I may not agree with what someone says, but I agree with their right to say it. (There’s a famous quote like that somewhere!) I, personally, am happy with President Obama, and I look forward to seeing what he does with his new position. He has the ability to have more influence in one day than many could have in a lifetime. I think he’s a good man, I really do!
Clem – Second Income Business´s last blog post..Avoid the Naysayer!
For America’s sake, I hope the Republicans get some more brains and start some reasonable debates in the American political arena. All countries need to have at least two intelligent political factions who listen to the people and battle it out in the public arena. Labour stifled all opposition for years, and look what has happend.
Greetings from Europe. it’s a great relief that Bush is gone. I’m quite sure that Obama won’t do everything right but maybe he will try his best in that direction. And we should be thankful just for that.
In a sombre speech that had little of the soaring rhetoric with which he is associated, he acknowledged that his nation was in the midst of a crisis and that its challenges would not be easily met.
I am from Europe and just wantel all America to know that we are all proud of you. We all wish you the best and are very happy that after 8 years of isolation, America is now and again the country of freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers!!!!!!!! Warmly, Nadine
Dear Suzanne,
“The only thing you can be sure of is that things will change” (paraphrased). So I am holding on to the belief that the change is going to be for the better.
Things are changing economically right before our eyes. These changes don’t look good right now with people losing jobs and businesses going under but I do believe that things are coming into balance. That the economy will be based on true “buying ability” and not the “false wealth of debt” (including mine).
Change is not always easy but I like having someone who believes in me and in America leading us. Someone intelligent and grounded.
I am hopeful, I am grateful.
Thank you.
Irene Kabot´s last blog post..
Change? Yup we’ve got change alright. 4 tax cheats put in high positions. 3 of them have now stepped down. Not a good start for the Obama administration.
Matt McGuire´s last blog post..Warrants Say Tracy Teen Burned, Beaten
The world is waiting still for this promise to recover america and build it once again.
Hectic Capiznon Blogger 2009´s last blog post..Click fraud? Let Google explains it.
The world need to wait 4 years. Only then can rebuild this great nation. Obama has quickly become a bad dream.
Matt McGuire´s last blog post..Oracle DBA Interview Questions
Hi Suzanne,
here in europe, President Obama has still a very good reputation. The people like him. My hope is, that Obama have the power to make real changes in US, e.g. the health system and others. He could be a greates president since Kennedy
I do agree with Jimmy. The president of US has the power to make decision that can be exploited for the betterment of the world.So the whole world looks up to him to see what steps he takes to ensure this expectation.
After one year Obama is still a very popular president in the opinion of the europeans. But today i heard that he lost a election in massachussetts and i think this will be a very big problem for his idea of changing the health system. this system is so important and i can not believe that the republicans have now the chance to forbid it
Do hope that obama can help the economy of the united states also the world economy.