A New Day

After non-stop coverage of Barack Obama’s inaugaration today on multiple channels, there’s nothing I can say right now that could not have possibly already been stated by someone else.  With my sincere attempt to not regurgitate anyone else’s opinions or commentary, I’d like to just take a minute to share my opinion on the day’s events.

I had a job interview that went really well, spoke with my parents about the difficult options I’m faced with right now in my recent and troubling financial situation, and went to work for the one day a week that I have a job.  All the while, I watched on television or listened on the radio to Barack Obama’s inagauration festivities.  It’s been such an amazing event to have constantly fill my day.  I’m so excited and happy and hopeful and overwhelmed today.  I’m one of those crazy people most make fun of on the news for considering President Obama to be the ‘great messiah.’  One of the nutjobs that expects him to change everything and make all of our/my woes disappear.  I’m him.  I stop what I’m doing everytime he’s on the t.v. and listen intently to every word he speaks.  Suddenly tonight I’m crying over watching two people dance together, though I’ve seen them dance countless times already throughout the evening as the attend each ball.

For me, it’s not so much Barack Obama the person.  As a person, I believe he’s fantastic.  His ideas seem perfect, persona seems to be something to idolize, and ability to overcome the impossible something to give everyone a new hope to believe in in each person’s own life.  I feel as though he is very obtainable… like if I really wanted to I could find a way to call him directly or email him and get a personal response.  It’s not like former presidents I’ve seen, or major celebrities, or the pope.  Those people I know I’ll never come into contact with no matter what.  But Obama…. it’s different somehow. 
But regardless, it’s not Obama, the man.  It’s everything he represents.  And not just the racial aspects, though that in itself is of course monumental.  I always have believed, regardless of how much I’d love to pretend otherwise, that racism is much more of a problem than most recognize.  But sooo many people..white people… went out and voted for Obama, regardless of his race.  It’s fantastic.  But also, the whole cliche (at this point) ‘change’ platform.  He absolutely represents change to me.  Times have sucked for a lot of people the last few years.  Times have sucked for me over the past few months.  Suddenly I feel like things are going to start to turn around, for the country and for myself.  Maybe not because of him directly, but I suddenly have a new fire lit under my ass.  I feel like I can go out tomorrow and make life get a little better than it has been.  I’m excite in this dorky, possibly unrealistic way.  Regardless of whether or not my excitement and hope is actually founded on anything, I would love to thank President Obama for the hope he’s given me.   And honestly, I feel like with our new president, I’d actually have a chance at thanking him in person one day… or at least sending him an email that he’ll actually read.