welcoming our new president: inauguration day

on the way to DC on the train, i changed trains in chicago. that final train was 100% full, and almost every passenger was on their way to the inauguration. it was a celebratory ride, full of excited conversations and high energy.

inauguration day started for me (and my friends from portland, molly and tony) at 4:30a. we ate breakfast in the hotel lobby and boarded the metro red line into downtown DC. as groggy as we were, our spirits were high and we were surrounded by enthusiastic people. we had mapped out our route and proceeded in the dark to the washington monument. the cold was biting, but there were already swarms of people, pouring through the streets towards the mall. we arrived at our destination, had a big jumbo screen to watch and settled in for a long wait. an endless river of people flowed into the mall, until every available space was filled up. the sunrise warmed us and and a new day was begun.

as the inauguration ceremony began, the crowd went wild. surrounded by people as far as the eye could see, the sounds were overwhelming. the first major thing that struck me was that our constitution held, the transition of power succeeded once again. even though the previous president's administration undermined the constitution in many ways, even though we moved closer to facism as a nation, even though 9/11 pushed this nation into fear, power was transferred peacefully to our new president.

throughout the ceremonies, speeches, music and events, so many emotions flowed through me. people all around me--myself included--alternated between cheers, tears, and silent reflection. we all worked so hard and believed that this day was possible. in the darkest hours, when we were most discouraged, we imagined this day. overall i ultimately come back to what this means to me most of all: it is a time of renewal and a time for each of us to rise to the challenges we face. cynics say that our "hope" will be shattered when obama doesn't "turn out". but they miss a fundamental reality that has truly shifted for me and hundreds of others who i know personally who worked on this campaign. this campaign was a training ground for so many of us--most of us gen x or gen "we"--a training for a new america and a new planet. while we respect and admire obama, none of us are living with delusions that he is going to "solve everything for us". the election of obama is a symbol of hope and change, but it is up to all of us to roll up our sleeves and create a new future. i am reminded of the quote from lin-chi: "if you meet the buddha on the road, kill the buddha". it is now--and has always been--up to us.

and now, off to celebrate, drink, dance and shout!