| November 4, 2008 will forever go down as a day | | | | November 4, 2008 that seed blossomed into a |
| in United States American history. For the first | | | | new plant of life for each of us. The big question |
| time ever, Americans elected an | | | | is, "How did he do this without our knowledge or |
| African-American as their president. This is | | | | approval?" He did this by presenting the idea and |
| undoubtedly a significant moment in the | | | | then holding us accountable for our actions. He |
| African-American communities as well as the | | | | told us that we do not have to accept our |
| American society as a whole. However, the | | | | current situation as it is, we could do something |
| election of Barack Obama as the President of the | | | | about it. |
| United States was less about the significance | | | | We hold the power of our everyday |
| within African-Americans and more about the | | | | circumstances and with a little four letter word; |
| conclusion that 60+ million Americans realized that | | | | we could change everything we have ever known |
| their lives can be better than what they've grown | | | | to be true in our lifetimes. That four letter word is |
| accustomed to accepting. On the cover, it would | | | | "Hope." All we need is "Hope!" Not hope as in the |
| appear as though Americans elected a | | | | sense of, "I hope I can pay my rent or mortgage |
| Democratic African-American man to be | | | | this month." Hope as in tomorrow is going to be |
| President; however, that is a facade. | | | | better than yesterday. We do not have to repeat |
| Americans did not vote for an African-American. | | | | our mistakes of the past, we can learn from |
| Americans did not vote for a Democrat. | | | | them and move forward in our lives and strive |
| Americans didn't even vote for a man. Americans | | | | for perfection and achieve greatness along the |
| voted for an idea, a thought, a dream, a desire | | | | way. It has always been my belief that we all |
| that was represented in the physical form as | | | | deserve greatness; however, greatness does not |
| Barack Obama. President-Elect Obama's message | | | | descend upon us. It is up to us to move towards |
| of "Change" was so vivid it even resonated with | | | | that greatness in our selves and in our lives. |
| his opponents during the course of his Presidential | | | | President-Elect Obama planted the seed; we |
| campaign. Senator Hilary Clinton adopted the | | | | embraced it and voted for change. It is now up |
| theme of "Change" midway through her | | | | to each of us to ensure that our vote does not |
| campaign; as did the GOP Representative Senator | | | | go in vain. We must take responsibility for our |
| John McCain adopted a variation of the "Change" | | | | lives and make our circumstances better. We |
| theme. However, their message of change was | | | | must make a conscious decision (and follow |
| distorted because the change we were seeking | | | | through with it) to navigate through life with a |
| was not in the form of health care reform or | | | | positive, uplifting attitude, striving for greatness, |
| George Bush's politics. We did not seek change in | | | | striving for perfection. Let us not resort back to a |
| crossing the racial or gender divide. It truly wasn't | | | | continuous cycle of excuses of why our lives are |
| about changing the way Washington does | | | | not what we would like them to be. Let's continue |
| "business as usual." The change was with us! | | | | this movement in American history. If you were |
| We needed something different! We needed a | | | | inspired by the words of President-Elect Barack |
| new course of action! We needed to aspire for | | | | Obama than let's continue that inspiration and |
| greatness! President-Elect Obama planted that | | | | motivation and create the lives we aspire for. Let |
| seed in our conscious (unbeknown to each of us) | | | | us ensure that Barack Obama's presidency and |
| and over the course of 22 months continued to | | | | legacy are a success! |
| water that seed and nurture that seed until on | | | | |