What a Historic Day! President Obama: New Beginnings.

What a historic day this is! I shall never forget it! A new beginning for our country. After the oath of office, I had to run to look at an apartment. The sky in Chicago was blue, the air cold but I felt like a new woman. I felt like a huge weight I had been carrying was lifted from my back and heart. Bush and his arrogant ignorance was no more our President. I can't write words to describe how I feel I only know that I walk "cleaner (without the burden of Bush) and taller" and like others have said, "Today, I am very proud to be an American.

I had to attend a IDT this morning. I work with all Republicans so NOT a word was said. The other chaplain led our prayer so next time I will say a prayer for our new President and his administration and the challenges WE all face because of the mess left to us by the last administration and his friends in Congress. Even Greenspan has admitted, "I should have not been for deregulation to the extent it occurred." Hindsight-Ugh. So we quickly finished our reports and I headed home to watch the inauguration on TV.

We are one hour earlier so I barely made it home in time. Covered myself up in a throw and cuddled down into my chair to watch! I began to cry as he came out on the platform. Obama's wife and children are so beautiful, what a wonderful first family picture they make. Let us pray the girls do well while they live in the White House. It was sad to hear that Sen. Ted Kennedy had a seizure during lunch and was taken to a hospital. Let us pray he does well. I felt with Kennedy's health it truly was a "passing of the baton" from one generation to the next and am glad that Sen Byrd and Sen Kennedy were present to experience it. Blessings on them both as they spent their lives working for justice for ALL of the American people.

It was good to see Pres. Carter and Al Gore, both looking good. I was thankful for their contributions to America. Both are bright examples of how Americans can continue to serve the common good, even in retirement! I am so glad that Pres. Obama took the time to do service on MLK Day. I think he brings such a "grass roots organizer (on high tech)" attitude to his work. I hope that all of America joins him in "remaking America for the 21st century"

On the other hand, Cheney was in wheel chair (hurt his back). I thought how appropriate, he is being wheeled out of the seat of power he has held for 8 years. I experienced him as Ratzinger was to JPII in his advanced stages of Parkinson's-the real power behind the scenes.

I feel as always that humanity is evolving, hasn't stopped since we first stood up on the savannas of Obama's father's home continent. To see Obama take the oath of office, I couldn't believe. I was 21 and had grown up in white bread Southfield MI when the Civil Rights act was passed. I was ignorant of the racism in America. I remember hearing about 4 children who died when racists burned a Catholic school in the South. I got married in 1964 and didn't really understand what was happening until MLK was killed and the riots occurred throughout America and in my own town of Detroit. Detroit has never been the same.

I had my own new beginning today. I had to look at an apartment today as I can no longer afford this one. The apartment is about 1/2 mile south and is a two bedroom but about $500 cheaper a month. My lease runs to 3/31 so I have some time to look. I am meeting with a woman at Home Sharing tomorrow. I am going to speak with my present landlord to see if he will permit me to sublet the second bedroom. If not, I will be very seriously looking to move.

An ending note: I watched Michelle and Barack dance together at the balls and thought of the Jack and Jackie and Camelot! I am old enough to remember them!

Blessings on Michelle and Barack, Blessings to you and our families, blessings on America and each peoples and country of the world. I think about the "photos from space" that do not show any political divisions-can't see them from space. Today we experienced the world without the demarcations of politics but through the eyes of One People, One World.