What do you say.....

on a day like today.

I've seen historic moments in my life. Too many assassinations than I care to remember, man walking on the moon, civil rights marches and riots, wars and protests, ....the list goes on. But today was truely a joyful moment. The hospital I work for made it possible to watch the inaguration. They broadcast the event into various auditoriums and provided a link so it could be watched on computers. I went down to our conference room because I wanted to be with people. The room seats 120 people but I think we had 150. People were standing along the walls and sitting in the aisles. I work in a research institute and we represent 40 different countries around the world. The audience was a mix of those countries. Many of them are here to work for few years, get some training, and then go back home. But they came out to watch the inaguration. One thing I learned by traveling to Europe is that the world does not revolve around the US, but it is effected by the US. They were there to witness this moment and hope for a better future. When Obama was sworn in the room erupted in applause.

One of the scientists in my department (TJ) is from Denmark. It was dinner time in Europe when the inaguration took place...prime time. TJ's mother insisted on staying home so she could also witness this event. She told her husband if he got hungry he could just go out and cook something for himself. She wasn't budging from the TV. Most of Europe was watching. They too have hopes for a new era. They too are praying that the new President will be successful in correcting the massive problems we face as a country. If we are successful it will be a better world for everyone.

But I was reminded that not all of the US is behind our new president. Members of my own family do not looking kindly on our new leader. Although they say they will give him the benefit of the doubt...they are already looking for things to hold him accountable for ... including the fact that the stock market has been dropping since election day. Should I say DUH...it crashed before the election. But I've given up on trying to convince them that this is a change for the better.

The past administration should be ashamed. I doubt if they are because they are greedy, arrogant, and self-centered. They have left the US in a state of disrepair, so we have to focus our attentions to areas that shouldn't have been allowed to go astray. But for the first time in 8 years I (along with at least half the country) am hopeful that we can get back to being a country to be proud of. But I can't help but wonder what we could do as a country under this new inspirational President if we didn't have to focus on a war in Iraq and a failing economy. Hopefully we will all get a chance to find out.