Yes!

As I sat before the television from very early this morning through the inaugural ceremonies and the swearing in of President Barack Obama I found myself voicing over and over again, “Yes! Yes!” A singular moment in our history as a nation was occurring and I am alive to see it! I think I may have filled a bucket with my tears of joy if one had been close by. As it is, my whole face is puffed up and red from wiping those tears from my eyes.

Thankfully, I found my focus, not upon the days behind us and the acrimony around the misadventures of the last eight years. Rather, I truly took hold of the words of promise and hope spoken to us by our President.

As the President and Vice President and their wives bade farewell to George Bush and his family I wondered, how can I give voice to my emotions now? What can I say? I want to share, as do people all over the world, what it means to me to have witnessed this day and this incredible event. Finally, I realized I could not find the words. I could say only those that began this article. “Yes! Yes!” Then, the silence and a sense of composure embraced me. All is well now. All is well!

The road ahead will be extremely difficult. Many of us will join in making the sacrifices necessary in order for the country to regain its secure footing. The President acknowledged,

“. . . the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America—they will be met.

“On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

“On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.”

I say again, without naiveté, but with confidence, "All is well! All is well!”