January 20, 2009

Overwhelmed. That is the only word I can use to sum up what I am feeling on this day. At this point in my life I am only now truly entering my adulthood. I am beginning to take up the responsibilities that will guide my life, and hopefully my families into the future. As I stand here looking forward to the days ahead I am filled with the greatest of hopes. I know that what happened today was the culmination of many lives, for those lived, given, and still living. I am humbled by what has happened, I am inspired by it, and proud to have been, however small, a part of this day.
The future is ours to seize. One man has not taught us this even if President Obama may be the embodiment of this hope. We have taught ourselves this hard earned lesson. We have all come to this realization by different paths. We all have different expectations on where the road ahead will lead. Yet, I trust the President and more importantly myself and the American People to grab the future by the horns and work hard to make a more perfect Union. To bring more harmony and freedom to the world. To bring hope to those who have none. It is what our country has tried to be since it's inception and which dream it can only now begin to call it's own.
I sit here alone in my room thinking of all those I have lost, all those who came before. I think of all those who are still journeying with me, and those who I will come to meet in the years ahead. I think of these words that I am committing to electronic record in this age and wonder if how long they will be with me, how many others may read this over the years, and how they will be recieved given histories judgement.
My hope is this: I hope to someday read this post with my grandchildren. To them I say:
I hope I have lived a life of worth, hope, love and positivity on all levels. I hope that I set an example that they can be proud of. I hope to have been the best Husband, Father, Grandfather, and Teacher that I could have been. I hope that they know that even though I don't know them yet I do love them. I also hope that they will gain strength from themselves even while they give their strength to those around them. For if there is no greater lesson learned today it is that all we have to believe is that Yes We Can to take that first step towards our life's fufillment. While at times it may seem that we walk alone if we walk strong and do what is right we will never be alone. We will walk as one, diverse in our dreams, hopes and fears, yet together we will stand strong against all that seeks to bring us down.
As I sit here now my immediate hope is that I can do what I can for today. That I can be the best boyfriend I can be for the woman I care so much about. That we will have a long future together, or at least I can contribute to her eternal happiness is some way. I hope that I can finish my schooling and begin the new era of my life's work in earnest as a Public School Teacher. I hope to be the best Uncle I can be for my ever expanding family, for it was today that I learned that Aidan Carner will have a sibling. I hope I can be there for the mother who raised me, the brother and sisters who have loved me and the memory of those who have helped me grow to this point.
Today I do not put away all childish things, for I will always be a child in some way, and always will want children in my life. I hope to touch as many lives positively as I can.
I hope, I can, I will.

Historical Days

Hello everyone,
I hope all is well in your world. As I sit here writing this I know that I am bearing witness to History. That goes without saying. Our greatest step forward as a nation towards that grand ideal of a land that promises Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness with equality for all comes to fruition tomorrow with the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama. This moment, with the first American-of-African Descent to be elected President, was one that I was sure I would witness in my lifetime. I did know it would come so soon in my life.
I have been very lucky to have been raised by parents who taught me to judge people on the content of their characters. I have done my very best to hold fast to that idea in everything that I do. I am very happy right now to have found my calling in life to become an elementary school teacher. I am also very thankful I currently work at a school with students from a very diverse background. I see in their generation the hope and knowledge that while some differences remain between us we all have so much more in common to be thankful for and hopeful for.
That being said tomorrow is another of those days that will forever be in my mind. There have been days great and terrible in this nations history. I mark this day in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who gave us many great days but arguably none greater than when off the top of his head he delivered one of the greatest adresses in American history when he delivered the "I Have A Dream" speech. I was not around so I don't have a place to remember where I was when it was delivered.
I was alive for one of the most terrible days in this countries history when I witnessed with my father and Uncle Jack the terror that was Sept. 11, 2001. I will never forget being with them and hoping that everyone I knew in New York and Washington were safe. Thankfully most were. I only knew one person who died in the towers, and was lucky that one of my muscial compatriots from high school was not in his office in the Pentagon as he was scheduled to be just a week later.
Tomorrow I hope to be home as there is a snow storm on it's way and I hope it will allow me to witness the entire event live. If not I will be where I am supposed to be and hope to be for a long time at my elementary school job. While I may have to postpone my witnessing of the events for a time it will be more than worth it. My calling is my serving. I intened to serve the communtiy by being the best teacher I can and I shall also serve in other ways as I did to help get President Obama elected.
So here I sit, one more great step on my life's journey, one great day will unfold into another. While we all can not know exactly what the future holds for us, I feel that tomorrow continues the journey towards better days for all of us. This hope will carry us truly in the short term. I hope we all will know how hard we will all have to work to carry this hope forward to the future.
I know we can do it, we already have!