Inauguration

Today the 44th president of the United States was sworn in and for me it was truly exciting to watch. Being the teacher of six and seven year olds made me look at this new change for our country in a different way. Instead of looking at it as Democrat vs. Republican or winner vs. loser, I was able to see it through the eyes of children. I was able to explain to them why today was such an amazing day. I was able to teach them, in a way, that history was made today and one day they will be proud to know that they were a part of it. For just a brief moment, the politics didn't matter. People came together to celebrate history in the making. We watched the inauguration in class and I was really touched by some of the things that President Obama said in his inaugural address.

"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom."

"As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all. "

When the election was going on the kids at our school were able to participate in a "Kids Vote". I was happy to get to teach them about the significance of this election. We talked about how cool it was that this was the first time that both an African American and a woman was in the running to be the president.

It seems very fitting that the inauguration of President Obama would occur the day after Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. So, politics and judgments aside...today was historical and I was proud to be a part of it.