Before Inauguration Day

Tomorrow is the inauguration of Barack Obama.
Supporting any candidate for President of the United States, contributing to their campaign, and believing in them as a leader is a very personal choice. Because I went through the process of choosing him as my candidate, I feel like I know Barack Obama; I support him because he's my buddy and I'm proud of him.
When I see millions of other people who feel the same way and have personally invested their hopes and dreams in Barack Obama, its disconcerting. Oh yeah - I don't really know him! HA!
There are many elements that come together to make this the historic event its becoming.
1. Today is the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Tomorrow is, at the least, a partial fulfillment of the dream, for all Americans.
2. The Obama administration has made this a day of service. Obama's leadership will determine how we approach the coming months (years?) of hard work and sacrifice.
3. The last several years have been difficult on many levels; our government has twisted the truth, spun the story, subverted the constitution, used intimidation and negative energy and tried any number of other things to fulfill the vision of Dick Cheney and the neocons. My version of America doesn't mean "America First - at any cost!". Because things have been so bad, we're all aching for a new perspective and have hope. Barack Obama has given us hope.