What a day

Watching the Inauguration of Pres. Barack Obama has been fascinating. Inspiring. What a momentous day. I understand the impulse of millions to stand there. To be there. To be on the mall, watching, waiting, witnessing. I have so much hope. I respect Pres. Obama and I don’t think he won’t misstep, that he won’t err, that his decisions would always be my own. But I know he is a smart man, a brave man, an honorable man.

I am sick, a head cold/sinus thing. It kept me up last night – probably more awake than any night since I was in denial about being in labor with Arabella. I am glad I didn’t have any ambitions to watch the inauguration in a crowd. Sitting on the couch, sniffling, tearing up from watching the coverage of a president I believe in. I don’t think it will make the best story to tell Bella or Henry — but they’re watching with me.  And I hope that I’ll have reason to tell them about this inauguration. Not for its historical first-ness, but for its goodness.

And I hope that I am feeling better before we know what the first 100 days of Obama will bring. (This is whiny of me, I have been sick for less than 24 hours. And we have escaped illness this fall/winter. And Bella is less sick than I am. And my mom is home to take care of us all. But sickness makes you lose your perspective, doesn’t it? I don’t know if Bush was the worst president ever or merely in the bottom 10, but I know that we have had a national sickness. It has blinded us to our unity as Americans, it has distorted out values and our ability to communicate. And more than the war or the torture or the international ire or the backward policies on the environment, energy, and human rights…I am glad that Bush is leaving office and we can move on.)

All Grown up?, This and That