Redemption

I haven't written anything since Obama won the election in November. I wanted to bask in the euphoria that captured millions of people across this nation on that night. Now that Barack Obama has assumed the Presidency, I think it is time to embrace the reality of the future.

Today, I had the pleasure of experiencing the inauguration with hundreds of Elementary school children. It was the perfect environment to experience the true magnitude of what took place this day. When I watched the unbridled joy and passion that can only emanate from kids; rise again and again every time Obama's name was mentioned, I realized that this was truly a moment of redemption.

All of the promises of the transformative power of education and the reward of hardwork that often-times seemed to be absent in the lives of some of their peers and family members, suddenly manifested in the form of Obama.

When all of these 8-10 year olds would cheer when they saw a reflection of themselves in each member of the Obama clan who are now the first family, the promise of a new beginning seemed clear.

So often we talk about children being the future but with the pressures of life we are almost constantly looking at ourselves and what lies ahead for us. For the first time, in a long time, the happiness that I saw today forced me to look back at all of the kids who will one day lead us. And now more than ever I feel optimistic about the future knowing they will have a point of inspiration that was unimaginable before this day.

The promise of America has been redeemed and the future truly begins now