Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

I just can't even believe today happened. Our first African American President. On the day following Martin Luther King Jr Day. How perfect. I feel like reflecting on the amazing ride of the election last year and how much anticipation and trepidation there was of this day ever happening, but here it is and here we are! And what an absolutely amazing day. President Obama! Yes! Yes we can and yes we did! And yes we are going to do!

It was absolutely energetic and moving to see the world rally around this inauguration today. When was the last time so many people gathered for an inauguration around the world? In my life, the answer is never. And President Obama's address to this country today did not fall short of complete inspiration. Here are the pieces that really stood out to me as different than anything I've ever heard - or at least just completely inspirational.

Choosing hope over fear. Unity of purpose over conflict. I love that the entire focus of the speech was anti-agression - there was a message of love there - whether people got it or not - we will extend our hand if you unclinch your fist - Wow. If the world as a whole embraced this very one thing alone, can you imagine the possibilities?

Given the state of our economy, planet, and schools - when you hear something like the following - this is the kind of thing that will make me go out and do everything I can as a U.S. citizen and as a human being to help:

"We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age.
All this we can do. All this we will do."

I want to be a part of that. I will give what I can to help this sort of cause. I think millions of us will - and that is what is so hopeful about the possibilities ahead with President Obama. The same old tired rhetoric is still around - that Obama is like all the rest and one man can't change anything. Yep - one man can't - but he's not one man. He's me too. He's you. He's our neighbors. He's the millions of you who were in DC to watch the inauguration - he is us. And together, we can change things. The difference is that he has the moral compass, and internal spirit that resonates with so many of us above and beyond any leader I've ever known. That will inspire us all to participate in change.

I loved this: "We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers." He addressed all of us head on - I've never heard such all inclusive openness. We are all here - Muslims, non believers - we all may have different beliefs, but that is good and what makes our nation great - doesn't seem like any other president has been so forthright in the openness of this statement.

I loved this: "To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect." Another statement that speaks to love and peaceful progress - unified as a world.

And my favorite line of the address: "To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the West, know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy." How amazing is this? An invitation to all to participate together in progress forward for all.

With regard to the planet - I loved "nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it."

So many amazing points in President Obama's address to this world. Its all about us now and how we rally behind these messages and go beyond our individual self focused day to day decsions. We have the leader to fix things. Now we need to participate.