I'm on my way to the office. I don't know why. I won't get much work done today. Like everyone else, I'll be glued to my computer screen, watching history unfold.
My dear friend, the Rev'd Dr. Paul Smith sent me his reflections of the day. He's there in D.C. with three generations of his family.
Dr. Paul is the former Senior Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, a Civil Rights activist, community organizer, author and dear friend - my 'soul friend'.
You can read his reflections here: http://blog.revdrpaulsmith.org/2009/01/20/remembering-dr-king-at-the-inauguration-of-barack-obama.aspx
I found myself writing this to him:
I'm glued to the television set waiting for the Obama's to emerge from Blair House on their way to St. John's Episcopal Church. I'm cringing because they are running late - because we all know the stereotypical jokes about people of color being late. I find myself wanting to "google" how many previous presidents have been behind schedule so I can defend them.
I just saw the Obama's emerge - 13 minutes late, it is being reported - and on the first glimpse of them emerging from the green canopy and into the new Presidential Limo, all my anxieties melted away.
I realized that most of my anxiety was about not about the racism - that has always been with us - but really fearing that the dream would not come true. That this day would not really happen - because of the racism.
It has. Oh, Lord, it is true. The day has come. And Obama has arrived exactly when he was needed.
Have a GREAT day. Take lots of pictures.
Never mind. The images that emerge this day will be in my heart forever.
G'won. Go watch. Go see. So you can tell your children and your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren.
You watched the dawning of a new era. You watched the inauguration of hope.
It's been a long time comin', but I know, change gonna come.
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