|
Edited on Sat Jan-17-09 11:52 AM by CarolinaPeridot
The time is finally here. Barack Hussein Obama II will be the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday. I believed that he would win the election and I just had a moment sitting here in my room while staring at my Obama wall - its finally sinking in for me. I was having a depressed week for a reason I can't even remember. And like I always do, the internet is a distraction. I clicked on Huffington Post and saw Obama's offical picture: and I just started bawling. Its official: change is here. Hope has arrived.
Its finally beginning to sink in and I feel so lucky to be alive to witness this moment in history. I always tell my cousins (I am the oldest at 28 years of age) and I tell them that we are so lucky: the world is ours. Life was a bit different for our parents when they were born. Our parents were born during the Civil Rights movement - my mom being born in 1962 tells me stories about curfews and having to sit in the balcony at the theater as a little girl. My grandmother was born in 1932 told me stories of how she was a maid for a rich family and also having to work at a press/ironing company full of steam to make ends meet for my mom,aunts and uncle.Though she had happy moments working for them, I felt like "wow" comparing the fact that I have thousands of options today as to what profession I could have as a black woman in today's world. And then I see my little brother who is 15 and he is alive in a world where indeed the dream is fulfilled, he too can be President.
I don't mean to bring race into all of this because this celebration belongs to all of us. I remember at the rally that I went to seeing people from every race, working class and background holding hands during the invocation prayer before Obama took the stage and I started crying. I have never seen this much unity before in this country for something POSITIVE for a change. This is not a natural disaster that united us. We took a peaceful non-violent act of VOTING and we got our country back. And I have never been so proud to be an American. Yes Bush made me feel ashamed to be an American when I was living overseas - the view was ugly and it feels like these past 8 years was a long century of dark shadows. Though Bush is gone, his damage is permanent and yet I pray that the cronies are brought to justice. We have to learn from the damage that they did so that it will never be repeated again. They abused the constitution, stepped on it and wiped the feet off with it. I will be screaming HALLELUJAH at 12pm noon because the American flag will be flying with a smile. Heck I might even raise a flag at 12 noon in celebration.
No I am not drunk, just happy. And I want to soak in as much of this inauguration as possible. I took Tuesday off from work to watch the swearing in. We are able to watch it on the internet at work but I will be watching it with someone special: my 76 year old grandmother. I think I am going to need someone to rejoice with and I can't think of anyone better.
I just had to get my emotions out. There is going to be more oh my heart and eyes are beginning to swell.
Disclaimer: Yes I have an Obama wall covered with the sign I got from the rally I went to, the pamphlet for early voting I got during the primaries, yard signs and pictures of Obama and Biden that I took at the rally from September. Its more like a hope wall and I plan on filling it up with more as the years go by.
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
