Inauguration Day, 2009 U.S.A.

Today is one of the most exciting days of my life.
It is Jan. 20, 2009, the day Barack Obama was inaugurated
as President of the United States. The news media are carrying wonderful stories
of people determined to be there in spite of cold weather, no place to stay,
scarcity of bathrooms, and just general crowding. There will be thousands of law enforcement officers there, and they have to sleep on cots in a crowded hall.
Businesses all over the city are allowing their employees to spend the night at work, so that they might be on hand for the celebration.

Charley Gibson carried a news story tonight about a woman from Texas who drove to D.C. with her six children. She had been made homeless by Katrina. Her youngest was 6 months. Somehow, through the internet, she had found a family willing to house them in exchange for her doing all the cooking. She had no tickets to anything, but she just wanted to be there..to take part in this historic day.

I can't think of another event in my lifetime, other than the millennium celebration, or perhaps the Olympics, where Americans meet with such great joy and hope in mind. There is literally dancing in the streets. It is heartwarming to see our country joyful again.

Let the whole world watch and see how we have been relieved of a great weight, a burden of worry that has pervaded our lives for eight years.

In spite of 1.4 million people crowding the streets of Washington, D.C. , and in the face of 12 degree weather (wind chill -14!) there were not incidents, no fights, everyone was cooperative and helpful, and the general ebullience was contagious. The cameras panned over faces, red with cold, but still smiling and crying with happiness. Other networks carried scenes from Indonesia, Kenya, Hawaii and other parts of the world, as their people watched in awe and shared our hope for a better futures.

May be return to the days when all were proud to stand and sing the National Anthem with pride!