Actually, I’m writing this the night of the 20th, while the President and Michelle Obama are making their way to all of the 10 inaugural balls.  I’ll bet they’ll be really glad when all the activities of the day are over!

This was quite a day.  I took some time off to watch the inauguration, and then watched some of the coverage tonight of the inaugural balls.  To be honest, I’ve been choked up for a good part of the day.

I think part of it is because we now have a President that I can believe in more than any other in a very long time.  I think part of it is because of the amazing excitement and outpouring of emotion that accompanied this event.

I’m sure, being that I grew up during the fight for civil rights, I’m emotional about a black man becoming President.  But, I think it’s much more than that, too.

Not since the days when I was part of a generation that cared so deeply about the things in the country that we wanted to change, have I seen or felt the raw energy of this nation’s people coming together in one cause.  And, I think I’ve missed that feeling of being a part of something bigger than myself more than I realized.

I don’t believe that all of the 1.5 million+ people in the nation’s capitol today were there because it was an historic moment in race relations.  I believe that we are at the start of what could be a new way for the government and the people to relate to one another.  I believe that part of what brought all those people to the capitol was the potential for this President to make a difference, and to make us want to make a difference again, too.

If you haven’t checked it out yet, stop by www.WhiteHouse.gov.  The blog looks like it could be very interesting.