Random Act of Gratitude #20: A Bandwagon with Promise

In (roughly) the words of Jesse Jackson, "It was a great wedding; now the marriage begins."

I know there's a whole lot of hooplah today surrounding the inauguration of Barack Obama and, although I'm not a big bandwagon hopper, I will confess that I'm thrilled with him being elected president of the United States. I also empathize with the immense pressure and expectation which he will now face as piles of hopes are stacked upon his shoulders following the past eight years. I hope the American people (and the rest of us, as well) deeply understand that he is, at the end of the day, a human being and that he simply cannot carry the fate of the western world on his shoulders. He won't solve all the nation's problems in the blink of an eye, and that's okay.

But I'm going to focus on the fact that, as an African American, he really does provide hope for a new direction beyond political policies, not just for other ethnic minorities in the country, but for all who have hoped that the Old White Guys club would, at some point, open its doors.

I hope that in the coming years, President Obama will strive to connect with people, to model a humane and human approach to politics, and that his family will keep him humble when they talk with him at the breakfast table.

Thank you, American voters, for taking such a big step! The world has been watching and will continue to do so! (No pressure!)