The Audacity of a Hopeful Nation

I wept today, not out of sadness or pain but sheer joy, elation and pride – joy in the coming of a new day for our country, elation at the swearing-in of America’s first African-American president and the hope and affirmation his presence brings to the Oval Office, the country and the world, and pride in my country for giving me the chance to be here during such a monumental time in America’s history. I wept from sheer emotion of the moment, of what this means for my children. While Brigid was obliviously spending her day at Sibley in the child care center, an intelligent, eloquent and awe-inspiring man was making history as he took the oath of office to become the 44th president of the United States. It won’t mean anything to her in any tangible way in the way she sees things, but it already guarantees her a different future than one she had days, no, minutes before. Margaret and Patricia, witnessing history in the making in the auditorium at school, will experience the future differently, with more understanding of events as they unfold. Their lives will be impacted more immediately as they look toward college and beyond. They will understand the enormity of this election, this inauguration later, when it isn’t an aberration for a black man to not only run but be elected. Hopefully, it will also lead to the same realization for women – of any race.

I’ll pick Brigid, Margaret and Patricia up this afternoon like it was any other afternoon, but something will be different. There will be hope in our hearts and in our futures.