Doesn't the day seem to have a new sheen to it? Don't people seem to be a little happier? Don't faces have an extra glow? Yes they do.
Yes we did.
Listening to NPR this morning, I heard the words, "President Obama" and my heart just warmed. It's still a goooood week.
....
We arrived in Indy yesterday evening, everyone having taken a health hit. I had a fever on Sunday night and most of Monday (hence the lack of communication), Art Boy has a sore throat, Jackie has an eye infection. However, none of that seemed to matter in the spirit of the moment.
What a city DC was this week. It was full of hope and smiles. Everyone spoke to one another on the metro, on the street, in the elevator, in restaurants. The night before the inauguration when we were eating at a delicious Italian restaurant, we suddenly became impromptu friends with everyone in the room. Every table did toasts to Obama, shared our experiences of meeting him, shared our hopes for the future. Patrice (the woman who stayed with us in our hotel room who is African-American) described hearing stories from her parents about colored-only and whites-only water fountains. She told us how they weren't allowed to go into the grocery store, but would have to wait in the back. She started crying when describing what a wonder it was that a black man was going to be inaugurated the next day.
And then the inauguration. It was amazing to be a part of a crowd moving en masse at 6 o'clock in the morning. Everyone was cheerful. Everyone was saying hello to one another. The site of the capital building in the dark, glowing in the distance struck me and made me physically stop and think back upon my past year of campaigning and dedicating time to Obama. It was my wish for every shooting star, wishbone, 11:11, and birthday cake that that moment would occur and I was there witnessing it.
It was chaotic and crowded and disorganized. Huge crowds were packed together. But people were laughing and working together and remaining patient. Standing in the cold, bitter cold, for six hours would usually make people grouchy, but on that day, you were instant friends with everyone around you. They were from DC and California and Ohio and Brazil and everywhere else in between. And you helped them take pictures or gave them water and you danced together and sang together and laughed together and cried together. You were witnessing such an amazing moment in history together. I'm so glad that I got to be part of it. Yes we did!!
Yes we did.
Listening to NPR this morning, I heard the words, "President Obama" and my heart just warmed. It's still a goooood week.
....
We arrived in Indy yesterday evening, everyone having taken a health hit. I had a fever on Sunday night and most of Monday (hence the lack of communication), Art Boy has a sore throat, Jackie has an eye infection. However, none of that seemed to matter in the spirit of the moment.
What a city DC was this week. It was full of hope and smiles. Everyone spoke to one another on the metro, on the street, in the elevator, in restaurants. The night before the inauguration when we were eating at a delicious Italian restaurant, we suddenly became impromptu friends with everyone in the room. Every table did toasts to Obama, shared our experiences of meeting him, shared our hopes for the future. Patrice (the woman who stayed with us in our hotel room who is African-American) described hearing stories from her parents about colored-only and whites-only water fountains. She told us how they weren't allowed to go into the grocery store, but would have to wait in the back. She started crying when describing what a wonder it was that a black man was going to be inaugurated the next day.
And then the inauguration. It was amazing to be a part of a crowd moving en masse at 6 o'clock in the morning. Everyone was cheerful. Everyone was saying hello to one another. The site of the capital building in the dark, glowing in the distance struck me and made me physically stop and think back upon my past year of campaigning and dedicating time to Obama. It was my wish for every shooting star, wishbone, 11:11, and birthday cake that that moment would occur and I was there witnessing it.
It was chaotic and crowded and disorganized. Huge crowds were packed together. But people were laughing and working together and remaining patient. Standing in the cold, bitter cold, for six hours would usually make people grouchy, but on that day, you were instant friends with everyone around you. They were from DC and California and Ohio and Brazil and everywhere else in between. And you helped them take pictures or gave them water and you danced together and sang together and laughed together and cried together. You were witnessing such an amazing moment in history together. I'm so glad that I got to be part of it. Yes we did!!
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