Changing of the Guard

Julia was a little nervous at the beginning of the motorcade. The hype and some security fears had gotten to her. She was gnashing her (2) teeth.

Things seemed to be going well. She was pleased, and hopeful.

"DANG!" she said. That was some speech!

I pretty much try to keep politics out of my blog. I do so because some of my closest friends and family members cast a different vote than I did on election day. (And, because probably just about everyone I know cast a different vote than I did on primary day :)) I respect those who voted differently than me as I know that every single one of them did so with forethought, research, and the knowledge that they were casting the right vote for themselves and for their family. I did not vote for Obama. Yet I can tell you that I watched his speech today ~ riveted to the screen, and prayed for my country and for my President. Julia didn't actually watch it, the above narrative is totally fake, both kids did me the favor of going to bed right before Obama's inaugural address, allowing me to watch it in peace. They, of course were totally oblivious to the goings on of the day ~ yet I am sure that this is a day that they will someday study in school, and I hope that they will someday say that this was a great day in our Nations history for many many reasons, broken color barriers being just one of them. Kids, if you ever wonder what you were doing on the day that Barack Obama became President.....you spent the day at home with Mom, shaking off the lingering vestiges of a stomach flu, and baking some gingerbread cookies.

This was the part of the speech that hit me the most:

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

I don't think that it was a particularly climatic part of the speech, but the italicized part in particular are words that I love, not just for our country, but for my children. It was a great speech.

Kids, you have a new President tonight.

Good luck, President Obama. May you, may our country, and may my kids, always choose hope over fear.