Wednesday, November 05, 2008

how i got to share an amazing experience with my son

last night, at 9 PM, i took my son into my arms, sat on our couch and watched barack obama's acceptance speech with him.

it was an amazing experience. obama represents so many things to so many people, but the one thing that any american, democrat to republican to independent, can admire is how, despite everything he had going against him, he was able to be elected by people of every race and age to the highest office our country offers.

this is a man who grew up the son of a kenyan immigrant and a white woman, whose father ditched him early, who grew up poor, a man who was named barack hussein obama. it's safe to say that this man had zero chance of ever becoming president.

but still, this is a man who worked his way into columbia university and then harvard law and then edited the prestigious harvard law review, a man who eschewed big money law firms for public service, a man who rode a wave to the top powered by listening, thinking and accepting others, a man who has become the most inspiring and transformational figure in this generation, a man who forced a populace to finally look past the color of skin and just see a person who is our best choice to lift our country back up.

he's a man who overcame everything to rise to the highest level. he stands for that greatest american trait, that you can become anything you want to be.

but, although that's always been said, it's never really been true. all of our presidents have been white and rich and been given every opportunity to succeed. it's true for them, but not really for the rest of us.

but now, we have a president who is black and grew from a very modest background and made the very best with what life threw at him.

today, that great american dream is a great american reality.

and here we are, father and son, watching president elect obama, and i've got tears in my eyes. because, for my son, just one month into his life, every single door is now open for him. there's no reason why he can't achieve anything he wants. if barack obama can do it, if this man who had nothing can achieve everything, then so can my son, who begins his journey with love, support and a family that will do everything for him.

i can't wait to see what he'll do with it.

go get 'em, wyatt.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

and with that Wyatt pooped his pants and fell asleep.

Unknown said...

Amen my brotha....speak on!