I Believe

I had so many "moments" yesterday as our 44th President of the United States officially took office that I didn't even try to keep count. When he won the election back in November of last year, I remember being speechless. It was one of those moments that needed no words...if there were any to describe it.

Yesterday, the moments were different. Still somewhat indescribable, but on a much different level. Yesterday made it all real, and my emotions varied from one minute to the next.

I clapped and gave my best round of barking (pumping my fist and all) when the name Barack H. Obama was called out over the loud speakers, and he made his grand entrance into the arena where the ceremony was to take place. I laughed as he took the Oath of Office, keeping his poise amidst the fumbled words that were given to him to repeat. I cheered after what I thought was a well-written, amazingly-delivered inaugural speech. I burst into unexplainable tears the first time President and First Lady Obama exited "The Beast" (the name given to the massive car they rode in during the motorcade to The White House) and walked for seven minutes down Pennsylvania Avenue waving and thanking their adoring supporters.

Call me a lover of fairy tales....or maybe it is the romance writer in me. I don't know. But in the mix of all of the wonderfully profound things that went on during the course of the day, my favorite moment of all was the Obamas' first dance during the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball. Every single one of the reactions and emotions that I had to all of the other happenings joined forces (yes...including the barking and fist pumping) and erupted from me during this two or three minute dance to Etta's James's "At Last" as performed by Beyonce'. It was a near-perfect ending to a near-perfect day of celebration.

When I see the Obamas, and when I see what they've accomplished, and when I see where they plan to take this country, and when I see WHO (God) is really in charge and know that He has all power in His hands....I can't help but hope and believe. I'm not making Obama an idol of any kind. I know Who reigns and sits on the throne. I don't expect things to change overnight, and I don't expect President Obama to make all the right choices. But I hold fast to the Word of God that says all things are possible if we just believe.

I believe....do you?

When A Writer Is Rendered Speechless

As a woman who makes a living by stringing together words (roughly, 85,000 of them per novel), I can honestly say that there haven't been many moments in my lifetime when I found myself literally speechless. I've been surprised. I've been awed. I've been blindsided. I've even been amazed. But rarely has whatever it was that unfolded before me, left me unable to utter a word. Last night was the exception.

When Senator Barack Obama became President-Elect Barack Obama, I was too moved for words. For the first few moments following CNN's announcement, all I could do was stare at my television screen, looking at words and images that tears had blurred beyond recognition.

I had followed the happenings of the presidential race. Saw the number of contending democratic hopefuls dwindle to three, then two, then one. All the while, I was impressed at how this man, who, until three or four years ago was a virtual unknown, spoke with such eloquence, proliferated such knowledge, and handled himself with such dignity. A family man. A God-fearing man. An educated man. A black man.

The odds were most definitely against Obama. He came from a broken home where his father left when Barack was two, and only returned once to visit when he was ten. After that, he never saw his father again. Obama had only served in the Senate for a few years and was still viewed as "green" and "inexperienced" by his opponents. They said he wasn't ready to be president. Wasn't qualified. And add to that that he was African American (the product of a black father and a white mother) and his chances seemed slimmer than slim. Yet, unfazed and unintimidated, Senator Obama set out to become the holder of the highest political office in the United States.

Few expected him to win the democratic nomination against the better known, well-liked and more experienced Senator Hilary Clinton. But with the declaration of three words that became his mantra: "Yes We Can," Illinois Senator, Barack Obama began a long, historic battle that he ultimately won, not only against Senator Clinton, but against the much-respected Republican hopeful, Senator John McCain, making Senator Obama President of the United States of America.

I'm not sure why the realization of it all rendered me dumbfounded. Perhaps it was because I never thought that a man who looked like me would ever be voted U.S. President. Maybe it was because I was grateful that not only had it happened in my lifetime, but that even my parents, who participated in marches, sit-ins and endured the days of segregation, had lived to see it. Perhaps it was because God had just given my children an excellent example to assure them that with Him, all things are possible if they believe. Maybe it was a mixture of all of the above.

Whatever the reason, November 4, 2008 goes down in my life's history as the day I became proudest of my country. The day that I became happiest to be an American citizen. The day I came to believe, more than ever, that a change.....a GOOD change was on its way to our government and our world.

Many books will arise from this moment in history. Authors from within the U.S. and beyond will capture pieces of Obama's life and his journey between the lines of their novels, memoirs, children's books and poetry. And no doubt, all that will be written won't be positive. Everybody didn't vote for him. There were some who desired to see him fail. But years ago, before the foundation of the world, God's pen wrote Barack Hussein Obama's name as the 44th U.S. President, and His pen is always right.

God bless our President-Elect Obama. God bless our newest first lady, Michelle Obama. God bless their children, Malia and Natasha (Sasha) Obama. May the Lord protect them from harm's way, keep them in His grace, and provide them with all of the knowledge, courage and strength that they will need to successfully lead our country into a brighter future.

God bless the United States of America.