1-20-09

Yesterday morning, a few minutes after 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, I sat with Isabelle on my lap and together we watched Barack Obama being sworn in as president. It sounds like such a cliche, but I really felt like I was watching the dawn of a new era. On the one hand, I would have given almost anything to be part of that crowd on the national mall; on the other hand, I felt content to hold Isabelle and explain to her why this was such an important day. Clearly she can't understand what I'm saying, but it's not too early to teach her that she can be anything she wants to be.

I got to thinking about the significance of Isabelle being born 12 days after Obama was elected. It means she'll never think it's unusual for a black man to be president. And it means she was born into a new generation of people who embrace change and equality. Bigotry and intolerance will never go away, but with every passing day they are less accepted.

It's hard to put into words just how emotional and uplifted I felt yesterday. From the early part of my day, when I listened to Obama's inaugural address, to the late afternoon when I watched an Oprah episode about the life and significance of Martin Luther King, Jr., I had goosebumps on my arms and tears in my eyes. I'm proud to know that I helped elect someone with such a progressive vision, and someone who I believe will lead our country with absolute honesty and integrity. It's rare that one man can inspire so many thanks to the strength of his character.

It's nice to have such respect for our president. And it's nice to feel inspired.