Oh Happy Day

Today's events will undoubtedly give me shivers. I've been looking up the schedule of inauguration events and already my heart can't take it. I'm not being dramatic. This whole election process was very emotional for me and all of that culminates with today. I wanted to be there for Obama's swearing in and to see his parade (I love a good parade) but I'm not. I won't even be able to watch it on television. I can listen while at work but I'll probably miss most of it. Mike and I will be watching tonight with some friends at a party though I wish I'd be able to watch it at home. I don't want to censor myself while listening to Obama speak and I don't want to hold back the joy in my heart. I won't be able to enjoy this to my fullest ability but I will still enjoy this. Who knows, maybe I won't be the only one crying. I just hope no one will be yelling bad things.

Many people who supported Obama are criticizing him for choosing Rick Warren as his invocation dude. I can see where they're coming from however that only shows that they weren't listening. Obama championed change and bipartisanship. Well, simply being bipartisan is a change. Obama is reaching out to Evangelicals- a group usually ostracized by the moderate left. Obama is keeping his promise- he is including all Americans in his beginning and I believe he will continue to do so. Now, he will probably make those same Evangelicals angry in a few weeks by overturning Bush's policy of not providing American money to foreign planned parenting clinics. He will never make everyone happy. But the point is, he's trying to find that middle ground. I just hope that while he's on that ground that the crazy liberals don't go for his jugular. I, myself, will be happy that he is there. And while I may not agree with Warren's beliefs the fact is, he is willing to participate in inaugrating a very left leaning politician. I'm sure he's getting crap for that from his camp. Both men are making a point on both sides- people have to meet in the middle for this country to realize it's fullest potential. And quite frankly, in this crisis, we need all the cooperation we can get.

The change that we all voted for, hope for and need will take time. In this age of now, now, now we need to realize that the change that will last and the real change that we need will take years. It may take more than four years, it may take more than eight years, to see fruits of our labors. We need to band together as Americans and look beyond gender, race or creed. We need to look and move forward to a stronger, greater, and peaceful America. We need to help each other. I believe it is out there. I believe we can find it. I believe we can create it. And I believe Obama can lead us there. God bless America. God bless Barack Obama. Here we go.