i have never, in all my life...

Been so whole-heartedly inspired by a politician. Last night I, along with millions of people around the world, watched a man we can all believe in, become the 44th president of the United States. It was an amazing experience.

Kevin and I wanted to feel like a part of it all so we gathered with a few friends at a local bar to chit-chat and watch CNN. It was a great moment when, as soon as the West Coast polls had officially closed, CNN announced their projection that Obama had won. There were whoops, cheers, clapping, and yes, tears, in a bar full of hopeful, happy people on a historic Tuesday night. Since the somewhat grumpy bartender (maybe he was rooting for McCain) would not turn up the volume on the televisions, and Kevin and I didn't want to miss Obama's acceptance speech, we said goodbye to our friends and hurried home where we watched coverage of the various celebrations from across the country and around the globe. We sat together on the couch, holding on to each other, eyes wide, hearts bursting with pride, joy, hope, trepidation. It was a moment I will always remember. I was overcome with emotion from the sense of being a part of such a huge, world-wide, beautiful, inspiring, unifying moment. What a feat for one man to be able to bring the world together like he has.

I feel a shift, a change, a certain bounce in everyone's step and I am more hopeful about the future of our world than I have dared to allow myself to be during these uncertain times. It is a joyous, yet serious, time. We are on the brink of something potentially great, something healing, some necessary and vital change in the world. It is a time to hold up the leaders that actually have the capacity and integrity to lead, and to support, encourage, and watch them. We must hold our new leader, and all our other leaders,accountable and we must all do our part to work toward the type of world we wish to live in - we must hold ourselves accountable. I thought Obama's acceptance speech (and McCain's concession speech, for that matter) was thoughtful and important, and it moved and inspired me.

We all play a part, we all have a sphere in which we can create change, in which we can influence things toward the positive, and now is the time to begin the hard work ahead of us; may we all do our best from this moment, moving forward. Our very very best.

Photo from here.