The Times They Are A-Changin'

I have spent much of my young adult life (all few years of it) pining for an unmistakable, generation-encapsulating, historic event that I could one day proudly discuss with my children as my parents did with me, and I truly feel I have finally gotten my wish. President Barack Obama...has a nice ring to it, huh? I know, I know, I might sound like I'm gloating, but I am finally experiencing confidence in our government and that never gets old. I feel like, considering the current environment we're in, we've all gotten the greatest gift possible: hope. Yes, it sounds hokie when read on a poster or bumper sticker, but it is in the air and I am ready to breath it in. I know it's a long road, I know it's a lot to ask, and I know that there is no guarantee at all that Obama will be able to fix anything, but we are moving full speed in the right direction, and that's really all we can ask for right now.

I've always wished I could have lived in the '60s, through revolutions in music, thought, and politics, and while I am still a bit of a wanna-be hippie, I now feel like we have something revolutionary of our own. There is brilliant growth and change happening everywhere, and I can't help but get excited just like all the other shmucks. For once I can talk about peace and love, music and individuality without it being an homage to the decade I've always pined for. I used to think I was like the last Mohican for the hippie movement, but I finally get to see that we aren't all following the rich white guys from Texas blindly. There are so many more out there just like me who care about the environment and education, who don't like war and want nothing but peace and mutual respect. The day that Obama won was a call to all of us out there who thought the country had gone to nothing. Yes, we did, and we can finally work on all the things that didn't make it into the last President's to-do list. All the things we need to make this world better for everyone. A week ago I went to a concert at the Lincoln Memorial in honor of President Barack Obama and stood in a huge crowd of people just breathing in all the excitement, all the hope, and together we all knew we were on the cusp of our own great mark on history. My gut tells me we were right, and I can't wait to see what happens.

Peace