My thoughts on Inauguration Day......

Inauguration Day.
I have never cared so much.
I have never seen so many Americans care so much.

2 miles of people packed in front of the white house.
All to be part of the celebration.
All to be a part of this Inauguration day.

The 44th President of the United States of America was inaugurated today
Barack Obama

Barack Obama – the son of a father who was Kenyan immigrant and a single white mother who raised him.

I have never felt so much hope for our nation and our world
I have never felt very patriotic – but today
Sitting in a packed community center – packed with people of all races and ages, gender and economic status – together watching the inauguration
I was surrounded by my fellow Americans
I felt connected to them – by nationality but more than that
I felt connected to them by hope, by shared humanity, by inspiration

Elderly women both black and white around me cried tears of joy, awe, and hope.
I felt the tears well up in my own eyes at the sight of theirs.

Two African American men later shared in bible study at church about how their experiences of segregation growing up in the south many years ago deepened the significance of today, punctuated how far we’ve truly come.
I desire to the know depth of the significance as these two wise men do.

We have overcome so much – I must admit.
We have so much yet to overcome – I must admit.

America’s first black president was sworn into office
Just 60 years after segregation.
An African American man became the highest elected official in America
He and his family took up residence in the White House
A house that was built by African-American slaves in our history.

The slave has overcome, has been set free, and is now leader of the nation.

Today we as a nation watched as the man we peacefully elected
Inspired us to believe that hope still exists for us
We still have a future to believe in

Today, surrounded by all kinds of people – I feel connected to
Today I believe that good can overcome evil.
Today I see how far we’ve come.
Today I see that we have overcome so much.
Today I have hope that we can overcome. We can continue to overcome.

We can overcome. We can continue to overcome.

Just last night at a Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at my church we all joined hands and sang the song “We Shall Overcome”

"We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.

The Lord will see us through, The Lord will see us through,
The Lord will see us through someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.

We're on to victory, We're on to victory,
We're on to victory someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We're on to victory someday.

We'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand,
We'll walk hand in hand someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We'll walk hand in hand someday.

We are not afraid, we are not afraid,
We are not afraid today;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We are not afraid today.

The truth shall set us free , the truth shall set us free,
The truth shall set us free someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
The truth shall set us free someday.

We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall live in peace someday."

Standing there holding the hand of a 14 year old African American girl I work with singing this song – a girl who has been dealt such a rough hand in this life – the overcoming seems so far off, seems like victory will never come.

Today I know it will, day by day, step by step, little victory by little victory. We shall overcome.