"America Got A Little Bit Cool Again!"

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord."

I haven't posted in a bit because my wonderful little (not little...she's 30 but I'll always think of her that way) sister was in town visiting from Seattle. I have some great stories and pictures from her visit that I should be able to get posted tonight or tomorrow so hold on for those...

In the meantime, I want to honor the change that took place here in America and around the world yesterday. I know there are millions of posts out there about what happened yesterday, but I wanted to put in my two cents...

We now have a new President. Thank goodness. As you probably know, I have never been a fan of our old President and I've been worried for years on the direction he felt was right for our country and for the world. In my travels abroad, I came across numerous people who ALWAYS said, "We like Americans but we hate your President" or "America is okay but your President is an idiot" or "Do you realize how your President is alienating the rest of the world?" I always agreed and was a bit sad that our foreign relations had gotten to such a new low. I hoped someday, someone would come along to change that.

That day has FINALLY arrived. After 8 long years of waiting, we now have an articulate, eloquent President.

Someone who wants to bridge our relationships with the world. "And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect."

Someone who wants to spend time and money making public education work for our students. "...and we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age."

Someone who is interested in the benefits that immigrants bring to this nation and wants to create a legal, safe and fair way for them to get here to realize their dreams. "Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more."

Someone who thinks that all citizens are valuable and worthwhile: not just the wealthiest of our society. "...and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous."

Someone who wants to protect our freedoms and our safety...without terrifying us to do it. "We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

Someone who will FINALLY invest in different sorts of energy and change health care into a RIGHT, not an PRIVILEGE. "We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. All this we can do. And all this we will do."

I'm feeling very hopeful this morning. I am so excited to see where our new President leads us. For the first time in a long time, I'm feeling proud of being an American again...here and in the eyes of the world. To quote someone in Britain that I read online last night:
"America got a little bit cool again."