At Last

I have been taking the last couple of days, away from the internet, to sort through my thoughts from last Tuesday.  I was going to narrate my experience of going to DC to witness Obama take the oath of office, and I will still do that, but I also feel the need to comment on the emotion that came with it.  Today, rejoining the internet world, I caught up on blogs I typically read daily.  Many of them had Obama-related posts from Tuesday and Wednesday.  And each one made me choke up with emotion yet again.  Each one filled with hope and excitement.  Each one, even the ones with a bit of reservation and nervousness for the size of the shoes we are expecting Obama to fill, maintained at least a piece of hope and joy.  I watched video of Barack and Michelle dancing to Beyonce sing "At Last" and found myself choked up yet again.  Something as simple as two people dancing to a song - and I was choked up.  That is why I have hope.  For this to create so much emotion in so many people means there is potential for change.  When Obama calls on the country to sacrifice and to work for each other and to support each other - when he points out that we are the ones who can make this change happen - when he directs attention to what we have already accomplished, electing a person of color into the highest office in our country (and some might say world) - it's that emotion that makes it possible.

And so then I go back to Tuesday morning...no, to Monday evening.  I was on a bus from Philadelphia to DC with 50-some odd people also making their way to our nation's capital to witness history.  Three women from Africa, two men from Eastern Europe, one man talking on the phone about the Kennedy's and whether Jeb Bush will run for Senate, an African-American woman and her granddaughter, and the woman sitting next to me: a woman wearing layers and layers of clothes to keep warm, but with her Obama t-shirt worn on top of all of them, and a hat that said, "I *heart* Jesus."  She told me that she wasn't sure what her plans were once she got to DC, but she was going on faith that she was meant to be there and see Barack Obama become our nation's president.  She also showed us the sequined gown she was bringing in case she went to a ball.  These people took time out of their work-week to go and be a part of the inauguration.  Just as Obama would talk the next day about a sort of call to action, they were already taking action of some sort in order to witness history.  They were ecstatic and the bus was filled with this excitement.

The excitement continued the next day.  My friend Ryan and I left the apartment at 6:30am in order to get through security checkpoints.  We walked to avoid the packed Metro stations, and then waited for 2 hours at 7th and E to go through security.  Everyone around us was jovial and laughing, despite being crammed with little space and no apparent movement.  I did not see anyone angry or upset.  These people woke up early and waited in the cold crowds for hours and could not be happier about it.  People were shivering, fingers and toes frozen, but everyone was smiling - some were singing.  After a couple of hours, we were told that a water main had broken, so we could not enter through that checkpoint and were redirected down the street.  Again, people were friendly and simply made their way through the crowds.  This diverse crowd of mixed race, age, SES - all waiting happily through discomfort was yet more evidence of what this day meant to people.  Obama talked about equality and unity in his inaugural address, and as cheesy as it sounds, I felt that in the crowd.

One difference between Obama and past presidents is the degree to which he has become a brand.  On one level it is disturbing, since I would like him to be notable for making great political change, but on another level, it is further evidence of what he signifies to people.  He gives people hope, and they want to cherish that....by buying crap with his name on it.  Ryan and I started giggling when we heard "Obama air fresheners" as we were walking down the street.  What do they smell like?  "Smells like change" so said a vendor.  We promptly bought two.  They actually smell like Jasmine.  Apparently someone was selling binoculars and calling them "Barackulars."  Obama was certainly stimulating the economy of the street vendors on Tuesday.

One t-shirt on the inauguration website store reads, "I *heart* my president."  That is what kept coming up for me during the inaugural address.  I actually like my president.  I look at him with his family and feel good.  During the address, I was motivated to actually do something to help change happen, to help the economy, to help make equality and unity happen.  And I don't think I was the only one.  Eyes were wet with tears throughout the room where I watched the address (within the security perimeter at 601 Pennsylvania Ave.).  The cheers in the room throughout and again when his car went down the street in front of the building just added to the excitement.  

I have spent the last three weeks in Chicago, NYC, San Diego, LA, Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, DC, and as of today, Pittsburgh - a handful the biggest cities of our nation.  And somehow seeing the inauguration of our president was a great way to bridge all of this chaotic traveling.  No matter where I am or have been, this excitement is there.  This idea of unity and equality sort of bridges my travels.  People across the country are excited and hopeful, and excited and hopeful people are motivated.  If people believe their efforts will do something, they're more likely to do it.  I am hoping that Obama can capitalize on the feeling and emotion that was present among the millions of people in DC and watching from afar.  I'm not going to assume that huge changes are going to happen soon, but the potential is here.  The hope is definitely here.  At last.