A letter to TJ on Inauguration Day

A letter written to my son on January 20, 2009. . .

TJ,
There are a few times in your life when people ask you "where were you when. . . " or "what do you remember about. . ." a particular milestone in your life or in our nation's history. I like hearing the stories from my mother and father about what they remember from their childhood, teen years, mid life, and beyond. Most interesting are those stories that are linked to history. I remember asking my mother and father where they were when we landed on the moon. So fascinating to get a glimpse into that part of history from a first person view. . . especially one from your parent.

For me, I can imagine that our future conversations will be full of stories of 9/11 and how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan defined our family experience. How your father served. How we were separated for a time trying to cope as best we could. A challenging time to say the least.

But of particular importance today, January 20, 2009, is a day that, regardless of your politics, I will always want you to remember. Today was history in the making. The day that a dream came true, the day that millions of Americans and people around the world came to actualize that they can make a difference at the grassroots, and that they too can rise above limitations, doubts, and sometimes even history. Today, Barack Obama became president of the United States-- our first African-American president and a day of hope and promise for many.

We had the privilege of watching the inauguration ceremonies together. At 19 months old, you sat pretty still on my lap during the oath. It is as if you understood the gravity of the moment. But then, when the applause died and the speech was delivered, you went on to other important things of the day: your trucks! There is no stopping you with those.

What struck me the most about the day was how many people attended the ceremony in DC. The fact that they all wanted to be a part of history. The fact that they wanted to be able to say that they were there. They may not have been able to see the new president raise his right hand. But they were there. . .at the mall in DC. They were there surrounded by 2 million other viewers like them who wanted to be there too. What struck me was that they brought their children to witness too. What struck me was the diversity of the audience-- for a moment, we went beyond race in this country. What struck me was that out of 2 million people on the mall, there was not a single arrest. What struck me was the overwhelming energy and hope that engulfed the nation-- regardless of who one voted for in the election.

It was a proud day. It was a proud moment. I am so thankful that we were able to share it together so that when people ask me where I was on that day, I can say, I was with my son-- and may he come to understand the significance of the moment and continue carrying the torch of freedom, equality, and love that was set ablaze all the brighter today. I know we have got far to go as a country, but what a glorious moment to pause and remark how far we have come.