Oh, my God, I was so cold! We lost the kids for hours! I left the house without my phone, because I couldn’t find it. My feet ached; I walked for miles with three 1.8 million other people.
IT WAS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!
Yes, better than graduating from high school or college or seminary. Better than getting married, or having my children, or getting ordained. (For the record, my husband and children rolled their eyes as I was writing this; they know how I am….) This is so much bigger than my tiny little life. This is about my country, and my children and my children’s future. After all these years, I have a president!
It was a totally wonderful experience. People were all so happy, and so psyched. In Washington today, it was all about Obama. In the restaurant we went to for lunch (at 3 p.m.!) the staff was chanting his name with all of us who were eating. One man on the street we passed was chanting: “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we’re free at last; we ain’t got to kiss nobody’s ass!” All of us were howling with laughter and relief.
I’ll have more intelligent things to say about this tomorrow, perhaps, once I calm down. I am too happy for intelligent speech, especially when I think of George Bush, safely ensconced in Texas where he can no longer do significant harm. And when I look at the clips of my new president, reminding us that the time has come “to put aside childish things.” I knew things were different when, at the end of the ceremony, as the National Anthem was played, I stopped with everyone else to place my hand over my heart and sing every word—in spite of who wrote it—because I really meant it. Finally, finally, finally: it’s my country too.
It was amazing, wasn’t it. I couldn’t be there but I spent the entire day watching on television, alternately weeping and laughing. I’ve spent the past eight years embarrassed to be an American. This is a real turning point. Wasn’t it wonderful to see the helicopter leaving town? There is a lot of work to do, but we can and we will.