January 21, 2009

• The Time Is Now

  I was home today, enjoying history being made from my couch. Imagining all of the wonderful experiences people all over the world were having. I heard every commentator possible speak on the profound affect this experience will have on America. So here it is 11:15 and I am wide eyed, eyes still red from all the tears I shared with my parents. I chose to sit home with my parents to share this moment with them.

  My parents.

  I listened to them so strongly speak about what this means to them and I could do nothing but thank God that they lived to see it come to pass before their eyes. My parents who were born in the 50s, alive and well during the 60s. Who attended segregated schools, then integrated schools, and the things they experienced simply for their skin. My father is not a crier, he is not emotional. He is on the opposite end of the spectrum actually. And even he was misty eyed. And that is something I will never forget. My parents who were so deeply moved by today that there were no more words shared for minutes after Barack Obama was inaugurated. We simply flipped from channel to channel to channel, watching and tivo’n everything we could. So we could have this moment, this time, this happening for the future.

  
  I am 27 years old. I am apart of the demographic that helped carry Obama into the White House and I couldn’t have more pride for this generation and the future generations to come. Because we will carry this moment in our hearts for the rest of our lives. We will forever remember this day. We will tell the stories to our children and their children. It will be in history books. If you didn’t watch it, didn’t see a PART of it, didn’t want to see any of it… It was a beautiful thing. A very beautiful thing. And while I try to hold back my tears, America never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. But I am proud to be an American. On this day. At this defining moment. Aren’t you? And it’s so much deeper for me than him being a black man. Look at all the images of the crowds and look at all the images of who supports this man. It’s not about black people supporting black people. It’s about EVERYONE supporting the RIGHT man. And forgive me for being so WOWED at America.

  I sat on my couch and watched the images of Bush thru the years… in only 7 yrs he aged what seemed like 40 yrs. And I sat there and began to feel so much shame. For disliking this man so much. For having so much anger towards him. In that moment, I realized he was just another man, he was human. He has feelings. He hurts, he cries, he fears. And although his decisions weren’t always the best ones, he made the decisions he felt were the best at the time. Somethings he could have done wiser, some things he could have addressed in a more timely manner, but he did what he could. And I truly hate that his legacy as a president will be tarnished because of how things fell apart in the end.

  President Obama… I pray for you. I pray for your family. I pray for your advisors and trusted friends. I worry for you, that America will not be so kind all the time. You have a long road ahead of you. So much to repair, rebuild, and recreate. But you have the endurance that so many lack. You have the persistence, the drive… that so many need to be able to see. For that, we thank you. You have followers who are faithful, who will ride with you until the end, but know that you have followers who will not be faithful, who will turn on you when they feel the time is right for them. Be mindful of all that has happened before you, mindful of all that has happened to get America to this day. Continue to remember the little people, the people who needed something to believe in. Never forget where you have been, never forget where you are going, and never forget what you have burned into the hearts of Americans, what we needed to find again… HOPE.

  The time is now… What do you plan to do to see America restored?

  • 12:18 am
  • 13 Comments