Hopeful for a moment

In case you haven't heard, we have a new president today. I was helping out at my sons' school beforehand. All through the halls I could hear the celebration echoing from the TVs in each of the rooms turned on to watch history in the making. There weren't many roaming the halls. Together everyone was tuned in, connecting over this moment in time. It felt very precious to me, being a part of this moment. I rushed home, walking double stride to sit with my husband, to experience this with him, where it was okay for my face to be wet with tears, while we joined our hearts with our nation for now.

Just in time I was there to see our new president take the oath, to experience the surprise at the little stumble between him and the Chief Justice, along with everyone else. As I expected my face filled with tears while our president spoke. His words were eloquent, quiet, strong, and honest. His speech was everything I thought it would be, everything it needed to be.

Though I've seen it criticized in so places, I liked the inaugural poem in all of it's simplicity. It reflected everything I believe about our country where we are now, where we can go, every reason why I voted with such hope for Barack Obama. I loved this:

"In today's sharp sparkle, this winter air, anything can be made, any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp -- praise song for walking forward in that light."

Talk about hope. Thank you, Elizabeth Alexander.

To me this is not about our country having overcome so much to elect a black man as president. For me it's having this intelligent, well-spoken, considered, thoughtful man as our president.

Although it would be wonderful to live in a world where:

"black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around...when yellow will be mellow... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."

And we can all laugh together with this old black gentleman who probably never thought he'd see this moment in his life. Amen.

My only disappointment was with the boos that accompanied President Bush. I don't agree with the man on so many things. However, I would prefer to follow the example of my new president, behaving graciously, maturely, and respectfully towards the man who did serve his country for the past 8 years. I thought of how bittersweet that helicopter ride over the mall must have been. How painful are dashed dreams and echoing boos?

I am hopeful our new president when his turn at that final helicopter rides comes, will still be triumphant, not battered, confident, not chagrined, and is able to turn and face the crowd with smiles able to savor his success before getting in that one last time.