Despite the dangerous road conditions, the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Blountville, TN was busy Sunday morning along Interstate I-81. Travelers from all over were coming out after a night of black-ice and there was a 20 minute wait – at least.
As I waited to for a table with my family, a tour bus parked out front and within moments, it was easy to tell this was a group headed to Washington, DC for the inauguration of our 44th president Barack Obama.
Dressed in Obama hats, t-shirts, pins, buttons and red white and blue sweaters, this entourage from Memphis, TN was inspiring as the joy, the hope and the meaning of this event consumes my heart this week.
As these folks came inside from the cold January morning, you could sense their excitement and it didn’t take long before we had a chance to talk to a delightful woman who was escorting her young grandchildren.
She was aglow as we asked about the bus-trip to the Capital and we were moved by her emotion. She described the joy of sharing this historical moment first-hand with these young Americans who were lost in the trinkets of the country store.
The experiences in this woman’s eyes were hard to ignore. I’m certain she heard the words of Martin Luther King in person and together with her travel companions they were on the journey of a lifetime. Considering her struggles, I can’t imagine anything keeping these folks from making this trek either, regardless of the weather, with no concern of the crowds – this woman was destined for this moment in time and I shared her enthusiasm.
I grew up during the late sixties in Nashville and it was during this fragile time of the civil rights movement I remember protests of mothers with picket signs outside our elementary school as desegregation busing moved kids across neighborhoods. Those photos of my early school years are a tapestry of color and I’m thankful for that early experience.
These childhood circumstances laid the foundation for my own hope for racial tolerance too. In fact, these memories made me realize we had more in common than we were told.
These early experiences of our nation’s social dysfunction has always puzzled me. That’s why the events of this week are so moving as I watch the nation’s first African American stand and take the oath of the President of the United States and the change is refreshing.
Over the past several months, I’ve watched my brother interview the young presidential candidate from his role at WFLA in Florida. His son Kevin headed up North Florida’s effort to elect Obama and despite the criticism of most of my friends, I’m glad I changed my mind on the morning of the election.
I remember driving to the polls in Indian Springs and thinking about my decision and what convinced me the most was the question I asked myself about which candidate represented the most hope for the people of our country – the most hope for the people on the outside looking in. There was no doubt once I answered those questions and I’m proud to be a part of this transition.
Obama is certainly not stepping into the office at an easy time.
In fact, I can’t recall a more difficult time, but I’m encouraged by his confidence, his savior-faire and like a majority of Americans, I’m proud to share this moment.
Last week, Earl Carter posted a blog post showing the President Barack Obama’s official portrait. It’s the first time a White House photographer has captured this official image in a digital format and this will certainly be added to the long lists of “firsts” for the new president.
We’ll see plenty of coverage too and while the media is trying to decide whether Obama is a politician, pop-icon or both, I can’t wait to watch the inauguration. The Sunday festivities had me entranced as Bono sang “In the Name Of Love” in front of the Lincoln Memorial. The association of Lincoln, King, Obama and all the symbolism of this changing of the guard is overwhelming and it’s hard to ignore what we will witness together.
More important though, I’ll imagine the folks I met in the Cracker Barrel today, holding the hands with their grandchildren and sharing our countries new ideal – a new spirit of unity for our great country and for so many, it will certainly feel like a dream come true.