Inauguration Eve

Today, while running on a treadmill at the gym, I listened to the latest This American Life podcast. The entire hour was dedicated to the inauguration - people's stories and expectations and thoughts, all relating Obama. It was, to be fair, with acknowledgment that the producers at NPR are a democratic bunch, a pretty positive selection of vignettes and stories that left one with that feeling of Hope, which seems to be a staple in the emotional lives of Americans at the moment. The episode ended with Mary J. Blige's "I Found My Everything" a sugary sweet song about finding, at last, the "everything" that you've been waiting for, with a touch of the motown bounciness. "I found my everything - in you - I found my everything - mmmmm - and I trust in you..." A cheesy but perfect ending to that feel-good hour that prepped us for the goodness that is sure to take over the politics of our country; the change that will make us proud of our nation; and the hope that will improve the economy and everything else in our lives. I closed my eyes and felt the tingles run down my arms as the song faded out.

Tomorrow is Inauguration Day - the day that will mark the beginning of Barack Obama's Presidency. I know that I am one amongst many, many Americans who is taking acute interest, perhaps for the first time, in a political event, which is sure to be remembered and savored for a long time to come. Earlier today, as I observed the images pouring in through the photo feed at my job at Time.com, and saw the thousands and thousands of people crowded around the Washington Monument, I felt an overwhelming sense of one-ness with the people there, and the people around me, on the trains, the sidewalks, and everywhere else in this country. That feeling, that I share with so many others, is not just a happy feeling - it is a sense of relief, a sparkle of hope, a willingness to try, and an overwhelming need to succeed, in whatever it is that that we have overlooked or forsaken in the past. Obama to many people is a symbol of all of those things, and carries that burden of responsibility of inspiring each of us must find the willingness and energy to succeed as individuals and therefore as a whole. It's amazing how one person could inspire so much, and I feel lucky to witness to this moment in our history, and wonder with so much anticipation how his presidency will play out. I hope for the best.

In the summer of 2007, when Obama's campaign for presidency was still in its early stages, I learned that he was coming to New York to speak in Washington Square Park. I took off work early and headed down to the West Village to wait in line with thousands of other people who were curious about what this new guy had to say. From early on in his campaign, Obama appealed to the young voters, and the photos I took on that day reflect this. Though the wait was long, it was definitely worth it, and I am happy to have been a part of this moment with so many others, who were drawn to Obama's beaming message of hope and change.