History in the making

Dear Abbie: Today was a special day, one that will be remembered for a long, long time, as History in the Making.

President Obama has made a promise that, as your mother, I am hoping he will keep. He said: "Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time."
"But know this, America - they will be met."

Moreover, my little one: "The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness."

For you, baby, I hope these words, so beautifully said, will be acted upon, and will realize themselves in all their promise of peace, love, and justice. For your future, I hope this world is on its way to recovery and redemption.

For the record: in the pivotal moment while President Obama was being sworn into duty, and the history of this country was irrevocably changed, you were sitting on your high chair, having lunch, throwing a little tantrum because you wanted "cackers". Life moves on. Apparently, some small, trivial things don't change in the face of the culmination of so much history and the germination of something new. Thank goodness the crucial ones do.


"America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations." -- President Barack Obama, January 20th, 2009.