Sea Change

Like most Americans I watched the inauguration with renewed pride in our country. I recognized the historical and cultural significance of seeing an African American sworn in as our leader, without having to be told so by Katie Couric. Now, I know that this represents an important moment in our history as a country and as humans. However I also know that I will never feel the importance of the moment as much as African Americans, or any minority, will feel from Obama’s crowning moment. I just cannot. As a white man, my experience in our world does not give me the proper perspective. I have never felt prejudice or discrimination. I have never been discriminatory nor shown hatred of any kind, but I am not naïve enough to think they no longer exist.

I remember a moment when standing outside a hotel for a conference with an African American friend of mine when a woman came up to him asking him to retrieve her car from valet. Because of the color of his skin, she automatically assumed he worked such a job. This particular gentleman was an IT whiz and one of the brightest people I have known. At the time, I laughed at the absurdity of the situation because it seemed so crazy to me she would even think he would be a valet, as I knew him and never would have thought him to work in such a position. But long after the event, I realized how insulted he was by having this woman assume him to be nothing more than one who works in the service industry. It made me realize that while my experience in our world thus far has been free of such things many others have felt the sting of being considered second class citizens. Because of this, I will never feel the relief, pride and joy that African Americans and minorities in general felt on that historic day.

But one thing I can relate to easily is our new President’s call for change. I know this feeling and thought process intimately, as it has been the theme of my life for close to two years now. My wife and I set ourselves upon a course in 2007 to change our lives in hope for a better future. We made massive decisions that required difficult sacrifices in our lives that were painful, but the hope was that if these changes worked out we would have a better future for ourselves. These changes were born from hope. Hope for a better future, a better tomorrow and a better life built together. And was that not the ideals that Obama ran upon? The promise of hope for a better tomorrow and a better future if only we can make sacrifices and work toward change?

Because my personal hopes and changes parallel our new leader’s obviously I’m rooting for him. Yes, I had the same misgivings as many, doubting his ability based upon his experience. But like many, I came to the same conclusion. If you are intelligent, hold a clear vision and a solid plan and surround yourself with intelligent and eager people, how can you not succeed at anything you try? And why should youth be a hindrance or considered a liability when we need fresh ideas and a sense of idealism right now? And I brave to ask the question no one else has, how can you be properly experienced to be the leader of the free world? I have never seen any courses in any university to prepare one for such a task. It truly is a job you must learn while doing, and as one who has spent his entire career thus far learning how to do each job he has held after the fact, I can empathize and understand the challenges facing Obama. And if he is willing to take upon himself that task, then I am thrilled and proud to help him on the road to success.

Like most of us, I want Obama to succeed. I need him to succeed. If his call for change fails, then hope goes with it and all of us fall further into despair and trouble. And I cannot have that. If my hopes based upon my changes are to succeed, if the decisions my wife and I made for our lives are ever to bear the fruits I hope they will, then I need this sea change called for by our new President to flourish. If it does not, then all could be lost for all of us.

Good luck Mr. President, know that we are behind you and rolling up our sleeves, making the needed sacrifices and ready to work. All I ask is be true to your call to arms and do not cave to those who aided in creating this mess. If you do, we will all be sorely disappointed and unfortunately once again fooled into believing hope can triumph over experience. And for once in the history of this great nation, we need hope to triumph.