Wow! What a day today is!
Last night I took Hays to see Lincoln the movie. Oh my!
Today is the inauguration of Barack Obama for his second term as President of the United States.
Today is also Martin Luther King, Jr. day.
The fact that all three of these things fall withing the same 24 hours is awe-inspiring to me.
I loved the Lincoln movie. President Lincoln reminded me so much of my Pappy in so many ways. He was so methodical and took the time to think about his words before he spoke them. He spoke in stories to get his point across. He took the time to speak in a way that would relate to his audience (when he was talking to the young engineer, he used an engineer story). He was portrayed as a wise man. I loved the way he thought beyond the now and beyond the immediate. He thought through all of the "what ifs" that may come up. He fought to make the black man free and he took it one small step at a time, but he was intentional with each step.
I wonder what Abe Lincoln would say today if he were one of the past presidents sitting at the capital as Barack Obama is inaugurated for his second term. Politics aside (because I am in no mood to get comments back about Obama's political decisions), what would he be feeling on the inside. Pride for one, I'm sure. I cannot imagine him being able to see where we have come as a country since that January day 150 or so years ago. (I also realize that we have not nearly come far enough, but that isn't what this post is about.)
And then to tie the entire day together, it is also MLK day. Lincoln's dream. MLK's dream. Obama's dream. We all have dreams and it is neat to see these three dreams "collide" on this day. I'm thankful they dreamed so that I can dream, so that my children can dream, so that their children can dream. I hope we all continue to dream.
I hope we all continue to strive to believe and then act that all are equal. We, as humans, struggle with that for many reasons (not just because of race). I know I struggle with it personally. I often don't think that I'm as good as another or as deserving as another when it comes to relationships. That isn't equal. I have biases towards others because of choices they make and things they say and that isn't right. I judge others and I have no right to judge at all. I often don't treat my kids equally because one will make a dumb decision or one will be getting on my nerves or one will be extra sweet to me or whatever. I often don't treat my students equal (if even in my own mind) because I really want one to succeed or I think one is a little to entitled. I know I don't treat my kids' teachers equal (in my mind) because of my own thoughts about them. I am talking about micro-equality here, but I do believe in big picture equality as well.
Anyway, I have stopped making sense, I'm afraid. I just feel so proud today to be an American and I am so thankful to Lincoln and Obama and MLK and others like them. Politics aside and decisions aside and whatever else that divides aside, I am proud and thankful and hopeful for an even better future for my children.
Last night I took Hays to see Lincoln the movie. Oh my!
I loved the Lincoln movie. President Lincoln reminded me so much of my Pappy in so many ways. He was so methodical and took the time to think about his words before he spoke them. He spoke in stories to get his point across. He took the time to speak in a way that would relate to his audience (when he was talking to the young engineer, he used an engineer story). He was portrayed as a wise man. I loved the way he thought beyond the now and beyond the immediate. He thought through all of the "what ifs" that may come up. He fought to make the black man free and he took it one small step at a time, but he was intentional with each step.
I wonder what Abe Lincoln would say today if he were one of the past presidents sitting at the capital as Barack Obama is inaugurated for his second term. Politics aside (because I am in no mood to get comments back about Obama's political decisions), what would he be feeling on the inside. Pride for one, I'm sure. I cannot imagine him being able to see where we have come as a country since that January day 150 or so years ago. (I also realize that we have not nearly come far enough, but that isn't what this post is about.)
And then to tie the entire day together, it is also MLK day. Lincoln's dream. MLK's dream. Obama's dream. We all have dreams and it is neat to see these three dreams "collide" on this day. I'm thankful they dreamed so that I can dream, so that my children can dream, so that their children can dream. I hope we all continue to dream.
I hope we all continue to strive to believe and then act that all are equal. We, as humans, struggle with that for many reasons (not just because of race). I know I struggle with it personally. I often don't think that I'm as good as another or as deserving as another when it comes to relationships. That isn't equal. I have biases towards others because of choices they make and things they say and that isn't right. I judge others and I have no right to judge at all. I often don't treat my kids equally because one will make a dumb decision or one will be getting on my nerves or one will be extra sweet to me or whatever. I often don't treat my students equal (if even in my own mind) because I really want one to succeed or I think one is a little to entitled. I know I don't treat my kids' teachers equal (in my mind) because of my own thoughts about them. I am talking about micro-equality here, but I do believe in big picture equality as well.
Anyway, I have stopped making sense, I'm afraid. I just feel so proud today to be an American and I am so thankful to Lincoln and Obama and MLK and others like them. Politics aside and decisions aside and whatever else that divides aside, I am proud and thankful and hopeful for an even better future for my children.
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