We The People............

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America......"

Normally, I don't write about controversial items.....I feel strongly that there is enough on TV (over and over and over....well, you get the drift), and then there are the papers. And then there are the people, whether pro or con.....that go on and on...over and over and over.....and quite honestly...I HATE arguing! But today, well, I just feel like I have to SAY something.........

We were up this morning and while Max took a quick walk, I grabbed my coffee cup, and whipped the TV on, and settled myself in my chair, ready to watch something that for the first time, in a very long time, I felt I had to see. Frantic that Max would be late, I muttered and muttered..."slow it down....wait....he's not home....come on......." and miracle upon miracles, he made it home on time. And so, together, we watched History being made. Now, it doesn't matter who you voted for....or if who you voted for won or not......because we have a new President, and along with him a new future. Maybe not the future some of the country envisioned, but nonetheless......it is everyone's future.

As I sat and watched, I found myself remembering...(oh, no, a sign of age?), the summer when I was 12. Specifically, August 11th, 1965. I was in Los Angeles with my Mom and brothers. We were returning to my grandparents house, driving on the freeway, and it was dark. And off to the side, in the distance we could see a orange glow. The closer we got, the brighter the sky. The louder the sirens......it was the night that Watts came alive. For those of you who are younger, the struggle of equality was a living, breathing, tangible thing in the 60's, and that day, in 1965, peace was shattered. It would never be the same.

It doesn't matter who was wrong or who was right. There was wrong and there was right on both sides. But it was an awakening......I will never forget that night.

Watching the Inauguration today, I got goosebumps. I was witnessing something that will forever be history. The Inauguration of our first African-American President. No matter what his legacy will be...no matter how the country feels, this is history! And whether you voted for him or not, he is our duly-elected President. I never thought I would see this day come. The 60's are not really that far away. We've come a long way.....and there is still a long way to go..........but we will be together on this journey. How exciting that will be!

Karen, at My Colonial Home, takes wonderful photos of her travels. I was reading her blog the other day, and looking at those wonderful photos. I told her that I loved her photos, that my passion (next to God and my family) was History....and as I typed that note to her, it reminded me that all through my growing-up years, it was History that was a constant for me, along with my family. This passion always was, always will be. And I feel humbled that today, January 20th, I was able to see History again.

We live in a remarkable country, one who, though it is still young, is still growing....and with the inevitable growing pains, it is moving ahead.....God Bless America!