An emotional Obama Inauguration

Today has been a very special day today, since we were very happy with the election of Barack Obama and had been looking forward to this day for weeks. When we were in Washington D.C. last October and found the Museum of American History closed, I brought up the idea of coming back when it is opened again and why not do so at the inauguration of - hopefully - Obama. Pretty soon after the election it became quite obvious, that millions of people thought it a good idea as well and so we decided to forgo that plan and make it a special day here in Massachusetts. When we found out that they are going to have a live simulcast at the newly renovated and beautiful Hanover theater in Worcester, we knew we had to go and reserved tickets. The kids had no school anyway and DH took the day off. The T&G has a good picture of the event.

We got to the theater around 10 am and it was filling up fast with people of all ages, even school classes attended. It was a fantastic atmosphere, anytime great politicians like Jimmy Carter, Al Gore or the Clintons would be on the screen, people would cheer and clap. I find myself hard pressed to describe the applause and cheer that went on anytime Barrack or Michelle Obama appeared. This felt like a rock concert. I found myself swept up in all the emotion, it touched me deeply and I could not help and cry tears of joy. All the pomp and circumstance, the glamour, the ceremony, the music, the moving speeches: there is no country that mixes emotion and politics this well. Maybe that is important in a country, where ideals are so important, especially today. Getting good video in a dark theater is about impossible, but the audio does a nice representation as to how it felt like.



The last inauguration I watched was Bill Clinton's in '93 - doped up with Theraflu on the couch - and it was also the last time I was that psyched (Al Gore came to campus and made quite an impression on me). I do not remember to ever have watched anything similar in Germany when we got a new chancellor. After a few hours in the theater, we proceeded to a friends house for an inauguration party and spend the rest of the day talking about the events, politics and life in general. I must have heard his speech numerous times by now and I thought it was a good one and very appropriate. It was in tune with his campaign and what he stood for, he painted a picture of the circumstances we are in, but also showed the ways to deal with them. I especially liked the 'hope and virtue' bit, harking back to Washington;s crossing, the call for sacrifice and the awareness that the world has changed and so we all must change with it.

On a different note, my amaryllis bulb that my mother planted on my birthday for flowering at christmas, took a really long time and on this fine day finally came into bloom. I like how all the leaves bow to Buddha and how big and beautiful the two flower heads stand. I always try to have some concentrated thoughts for somebody while lighting the Buddha's candle and today I lit for Obama. He has a huge and complicated mess to deal with and I wish him and his family godspeed (for the sake of all of us).