At the Inauguration - The Day After

Wednesday Morning- The Day after the Inauguration

All packed and ready to walk out the door.

Emotions unfamiliar. A sadness. I wanted to cry.

I didn’t want to go.

I wasn’t ready to leave.

I wanted to stay connected. To what?

The joy and euphoria of the hope that has been held out to all of us? To the world?

So, how do we come back to what is; doing the same old stuff at our jobs when the President has laid before us a challenge to help him change the world? Should I stay here in Washington and help? How do I help from home doing what I do? There is a tone of reverence from the people for the President and for this ritual. There is a force that resides within him that at every turn seems to communicate confidence in our ability to thrive and to re-make – yes, transform, America.

The inclusiveness of every aspect of the weekend was lived out with great integrity and veracity from Rick Warren to the Gay marching band in the parade, to Rev. Watkins (the first woman to deliver the message at the post-inaugural Prayer Service); from the President reaching out to the Muslim world in his speech to prayers from representatives of every faith and ethnicity at the National Prayer Service.

The inaugural experience was very much like Palm Sunday, Jesus riding into town on/in the Beast. Throngs waving palm branches and proclaiming him. Is Barack Obama not one for such a time as this? Is he not God’s hand.

What is President Obama calling us to that God also calls us to? What stood out most is a value for inclusion - amidst protests of having "this one or that one". How can you have inclusion if you don’t have the person that doesn’t think like me or you.? Most salient after inclusion was the President calling us meaningful and constant participation. God does both of these. Participation by serving others, in being responsible and accountable for change and peace; or hearing all voices. The new White House website is a new day of access, participation and “voicing”.

What is this calling us to do better on Eastern’s campus – the inclusion is not there; the courage to embrace others out of mission and kindness, trusting in faith that there will be a way, is not there.

Susan said that her 8-month volunteering-for-Obama experience changed her. She said she never knew how bigoted some of her hometown neighbors were until she heard them saying “I could never vote for anyone who’s middle name was Hussein.” It blew her mind that people would feel such things that were unfounded.

I carry the baggage of the 60’s civil rights generation – I was one of those who thought, "Whites will never vote for a black man to be president." My perspective, too, has changed.

My faith in humanity, to rise above race in matters of world survival is restored. Is his leadership not God's hand? Has not God sent him for such a time as this?

Change truly has come to America.