In our newly (2 years) renovated building, we have a nice kitchen/break-room with tables, etc. Very nice. We also have a flat screen TV in there. I walked past yesterday morning around 10:30 am. Not sure if anyone had even turned the tv on yet. One person, standing alone, watching the inauguration festivities. I watched her for a few seconds, seemed longer. Very symbolic to me. She recently lost her husband, before Christmas. Unexpected loss, unsure future, hope. Standing alone watching. I joined her. She told me that she thought of George W. as if he were approaching retirement. She was to retire in December. That all changed. She said that she imagined him being afraid and excited at the same time, "like when you face retirement" she said. I am thankful she is still here working with us.
Another co-worker joined us a few minutes later. Vicki. She and I had already discussed, earlier in the morning, how we weren't going to get much done today. I could tell she had already shed a tear or two and I confessed that I had as well. All it took was for me to see his motorcade leave this temporary housing to begin his day at the church service.
Next spectator joins. Consultant working here in our building with one of our centers. I don't know much about him, but I do know that I saw tears as he watched President Obama take his oath of office.
Where was Krislyn? I called her. "Get down here, we are all in the kitchen." She arrived shortly after a graduate student had joined the gathering. I assume graduate student, maybe undergrad. Kris and I had already shared a moment of crying in my office. She introduced me to "America's Song". If I can figure out how to add a song link to my blog, I will put it here. Until then, imagine it - because it is a beautiful song.
So an interesting mix we were, from all different walks and back-grounds. Our emotions were all fueled by different things - we have all come from different places to get where we are and have all experienced different parts of our southern state.
The next two spectators are two female graduate students in Chemical Engineering. Both of whom are married to military men. For me, RyAnne added an entirely different dynamic to the room. You see, her husband - Scott - was injured almost 2 years ago in a helicopter accident. In Afghanistan if I am not mistaken. He has severe brain trauma and has been in Tampa and/or Walter Reed for the entire time since the crash. She relies on our government - no matter what side of the aisle is in control - to take care of her husband. She has so many decisions left to make in the years to come. I am thankful she is the one strong enough to walk in her shoes. I am not sure I would have been able to do what she has done in this two years. Nor, would I have the outlook that she does now. Kudos to you RyAnne!! The other lady, Debbie. Her husband is no longer in the military. However, his tenure there made more than emotional and mental impacts on him. He was injured and has a prosthetic leg. I say this about these two amazing women only because when they arrived, it changed the room for me. They watched this inauguration with completely different eyes than I did or ever would. With change ahead so many military families will be impacted - not sure exactly how or what it will mean. But, I know they will be affected by this change.
I don't know the others that were in the room, very well. It was a hodge podge of people, gathered to watch this historic moment. I was moved to tears, again. Not as many as the night he was elected. But tears none the less! Here I was watching an African-American place his hand on an age-old Bible, taking the oath of office for....the President? Surely not. Yes, surely it did happen and I couldn't have been more proud. I thought of my children, B & E. I knew that B would be watching it at school. I wasn't sure about E. I found out later that she watched it. Her 4 year old mind couldn't process it all, of course. BUT, she watched it!
Her teachers, Veronica & Emmy, have been so effective in teaching her class this past week. All of last week they taught the class about the struggles in the 60's - Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges. I hesitate to admit that B didn't know the story of Rosa Parks. When E began to tell the story, he remembered part of it. He didn't remember WHY she went to jail though. So, E told him about it. I had tears in my eyes listening in my kitchen. He turned to me...wide eyes. "Really?" he asked. "She went to jail because she was brown (what he has always referred to our African American friends, not black)?" He couldn't believe that she went to jail because of her skin color. His reply was that he would have kicked, beat up, pushed anyone who would have tried to take someone to jail because they were brown. It was a proud moment for me, I guess you could say. Then I had to tell him that violence wasn't the way to solve this problem. Then we spoke of MLK Jr and how he fought and didn't want violence to be the avenue for this change that needed to take place. So much to teach our children. The responsibility is heavy!
OK, all of this to say....I am proud of my children and that they aren't growing up hearing what I heard in my home in Saraland, AL. I am proud that they witnessed what they did yesterday; even if they don't completely understand it all.
It was a moving day and I woke up thinking about the Obama family this morning. Can you imagine waking up today, looking at your little sister, giggling...."we are IN the White House!!! Let's go tell mom & dad!"
