A New Day Dawns

A new day dawned on Washington this morning. It was a crisp, cold morning, but seemed to have a light and exuberant air about it everywhere. The sun was shining brightly, and it was about 10 degrees warmer than yesterday, and the winds of transition had calmed. The capitol dome gleamed against the bright blue sky, like it had been polished anew. I had ridden along with Tiffany and Bill on their normal commute, and they dropped me off at the train station so I could get downtown again. To my relief, the crowds were still there, but sparse, as I'm sure everyone was preparing to exit the city today since I couldn't seem to get a ticktet out. Bill had suggested I start at Union Station this morning and make my way from there. I took his advice and found several political shops that opened at 8 a.m. to no crowds (they weren't up yet - apparently they had actually gotten tickets to the balls the night before). After spending a couple of hours just browsing around and taking in all the political garb and marveling at the speed of which it was manufactured for us, I made a few choices and purchased my selections just as a rush of visitors crowded the shops - apparently they thought the shops opened at 10... yeah!!! (I posted a couple of photos of the lines just trying to get into the stores.) It is actually really amazing to me to see the people's adoration for this new President. It is a very different feeling to have a President that people seem to love and adore... at least for now. I want to enjoy it while it lasts, though I hope that it continues on. It would be a wonderful change of pace. I feel like we have our own version of Princess Diana or something.

As I walked along, I decided I wanted to check out some of the sights, and maybe see the Library of Congress. I have been to DC a couple of times, but either have not have time or had to see the bigger things to take in some of the sights I did today. Bill had also suggested I visit the brand new Capitol Visitor's Center that had undergone an extensive renovation to be open in time for the inauguration, so I made my way in that direction. What a vibrant city. I walked along, seeing the normal commuters and Washington workers, discussing important business of the country as they walked along, I'm sure.

I approached the east entrance of the Capitol building. Visitors seemed to be sparse in that area, and I took in the beauty and serenity of the massive dome as I walked along, noticing the connected house and senate buildings respectively. I entered the east side since the west (front) was still covered in the staging from the inauguration. Even the east side seemed to still be stantioned and well-guarded, so I took a seat on a stone and just thought for a while. I thought about this building towering in front of me that had endured such trials and history. It was set on fire and burned in the 1800's in an attempt to stop the progression of freedom and liberty. However, the construction continued, the Capitol mostly built by slaves throughout Abraham Lincoln's Presidency. What a full circle we have come, when our new President walks into all our nation's monuments and structures with the knowledge that they were built by slaves, his people over 150 years ago. The statue that adorns the dome over the hall of liberty is "Freedom," with the phrase "E Pluribis Unum" inscribed - "Out of many, we are one." Hmmm. "We are one." Yes we are. Yes we can. Yes we did.

The new visitor's center is beautiful and amazing. I declined the capitol tour since I took it two years ago and am planning a trip out here with my family in the spring. I want to share it over again with them. However, I found an underground tunnel heading towards the Library of Congress, which I was eager to see when I was outside, but was detered by a massive amount of people lined up on the front steps. I entered the Library through the back tunnel, enjoying the idea of sharing in the "Underground Washington" - how all of our senators and representatives really navigate through Washington.

As I entered into the main hall of the Library, I was immediately struck. As I have traveled to many places in the world, I have had such an appreciation for the Great Pyramids built by just by hand, the Valley of the Kings dug by shovels, the craftsmanship of the canals and dams in Amsterdam, and the intricately jeweled and ornamental artistry of the Taj Mahal and Golden Temple. But for the first time I looked at America with new eyes. This building really was a marvel, as are all the Federal structures in Washington. Built in the 1800s with supreme workmanship - murals, statues and columns adorn the expanse of the great hall that rival the greatness found in Rome. Intricate mosiacs line the ceilings and floors. Right here in America, our young country in comparison to those ancient ones, we have mastered artistry and advanced technology that overshadows everything else I have ever seen, and I have not stopped to appreciate it, really appreciate it before this moment. What makes these halls even greater is the indepence and freedom we all share together, and we have finally all risen to equality. I walked through Thomas Jefferson's personal library, felt the works of Galileo, saw the original first draft of the Constitution, sighed at the items found in Abraham Lincoln's pockets on the night he was assasignated, stood over an archive of every newspaper ever published, and marveled at the wonder and historical significance of where I was standing. A place where people who were once slaves had to build this very building at the hands and whips of their white masters, but now rule this great nation.

I continued over the mall and made a quick stop at the National Botanical Garden for a moment of brief serenity, walking the paths and taking in the flowers. I contemplated how quiet and peaceful this was compared to yesterday's chaos that was right outside. I continued on, down the National Mall on Independence Avenue to face my fears. I hadn't planned on plodding this way again so soon. In a moment, I found myself standing in the very spot of my short imprisonment yesterday, right here at the intersection of Maryland, Jefferson and 3rd Street. I stopped and pondered how 10,000 people were squeezed into this very spot and hadn't moved for 3 hours. I shook it off and moved on. I wanted to go in the American Indian Museum, but was still harboring bad feelings for having to count all the bricks on the outside, so I continued on past it.

I happened by the Hirshorn Sculpture Museum and saw a huge iron spider outside. I thought thist looked up my alley, so I went in. (I posted a few photos from here too). Most of the sculptures and works were very contemporary, and there was a ginormous work of a big, naked man that will probably give me bad dreams. I posted it so you can have bad dreams too. He looked so real. I took in the three floors quickly, then kept on.

I passed by the Air & Space Museum, saving that experience for the boys in the spring. There were at least 4 vendors in trailers lining the street, so I stopped to see what they had left. The McCain buttons were all on sale, and I was going to pick some up for my Republican friends, but I was too embarrassed with everybody in there buying all the cool Obama stuff. I thought I might get beat up or something. Actually, the Obama supplies were down to bare bones - only an XS shirt or a 3X sweatshirt here and there. Otherwise SOLD OUT. Amazing.

The next museum on my walk was the African Art Museum. How appropriate. I went in and immediately noticed some new works with Obama on them, coming from Africa. I went into a room with artifcacts from the Nigerian tribes, which was so intensely interesting to me since I was just there last year. What is so prolific is that I was in the very spot in Lagos, Nigeria, infamous for the square where African natives (men, women and children) were captured, brought onto the platform and sold into slavery, then deported on ships to America. Lagos was the hub of African slave exportation. It is so interesting to have an outside and inside view of an entire culture and people. While in there, I made some great friends. We exchanged shopping tips, where we purchased our Obama buttons and where home was for each of us. It has been such a great bonding experience for people all across this country, uniting in patriotism and all there to support our nation's first African American President. We are all here to claim our small portion of history just by being here, witnessing, experiencing. Looking back to yesterday, I think my favorite signs or support that people were holding up in the crowd were "President Cool" and "Brother Gonna Git It Done." Is that similar to our "Git R Done?"

My time in DC was drawing to a close. I had to catch a train in a few minutes. The exuberance was coming to an end, it is time to get to the issues at hand. Obama has put out his marching orders to us all in his speech. We all have a responsiblity to put this properous nation back together. I think for the first time, many of us actually feel that responsibility and feel that we are a part of it, and that he needs the help of each one of us. We all feel like we are a personal friend. He'll be there for us, and we'll be there for him.

Once in a great while, hopefully at least once in each of our lifetime's, a leader emerges that inspires us to do the right thing. Whether it is a national leader, a sports figure, a religious leader or just someone we look up, who changes our outlook on life. Who renews our patriotism. Who inspires us to help others and our community. Who really wants us to love and care for each other. Who values marriage and family. Who carries a sense of deep responsibility to themselves, and to others. Who makes people accountable for their own actions.

Ok, so right about now you're probably thinking "what a tree-hugging hippee (you can also add some stuff about left-wing, bleeding-heart, liberal, grape nut, blah blah)." Maybe. What I can tell you is that I have traveled to some of the most dreadful corners of the world in recent years. I've seen people starving and begging on the streets, and dying from the simple problem of not having clean water to drink. I have also felt the disdain for America from other countries. I know the rest of the world watches our every move, and some of our past moves have embarrassed me and moved me to apologize to my friends in other countries. I have felt that we could be doing better as a nation, and be making better decisions and choices for us at home, and around the world. I know HOPE is just a word, but in other nations throughout the world, it really is all they have. I want people here to have hope for a better America, and I want it for people around the world. I want a President who cares not only about what we are doing in our own communities, but how we treat other people around the world, and what we can do each and every day to make it better. How powerful that the new President of the free world has trickled his dreams and glimmers of hope into the farthermost regions of the world, and given them hope for a better life too. It only takes one candle to light another... and another... and another.

I'm moved and inspired from my time and experiences here - It has been something I'll never forget. I HOPE to be back here again in 4 years, with lots of changes already in place. With schools improving, healthcare improving, government being more accountable, more efficient and clean energy sources which will create jobs instead of war, more care for our planet and the people in it, and more love and respect for each other. It won't happen over night, but I can already feel our country moving forward in the right direction... to be the friend of all nations and of all peoples that we should be. I have incredible faith in God and the man that just took office, as the first President in several inaugurations to add "So Help Me God" to his swearing in. We all needs God's help, and certainly Obama does too. All we have to do is ask.