November 4, 2008

I exist today as not only a participant, but a witness to history. His story has become my story and will be told to my children and my children's children. Today, the dream that you can be anything you set your mind to became true. Today, labels were transcended. Today, fears were transcended. Today the content of a man's character propelled him to the highest office in the land. Today, the Rev. Jesse Jackson stood in front of President elect Barack Obama. Today, the most powerful woman on daytime TV, a billionaire many times over, stood with tears in her eyes - there is power in having a dream.

Langston Hughes once wrote, "A world I dream where black or white, whatever race you be, will share the bounties of the earth and every man is free" (Hughes, "I Dream a World p. 311), free to make choices, choices that forever change the landscape of America's history, where the freedom to make a choice led to a collective psychological freedom from the restrictions that sex, age and race have for so long imposed. Today became a sign that reinvigorated the hope that comes with believing in a dream. Today became an answer to a question posed on Jeopardy. Today became a marker in history where the question will be where you were and what you did. Today creates a new reality. Today is surreal! Today will one day be a holiday.

Today, I believe that anything is truly possible.

Today is November 4, 2008, the day Barack Obama was elected president of these United States.